Ignis Aurum Probat
by Quatermass
Summary: Harry has become a helper for the Tomb Keepers. His task? Guiding Yugi Muto to his destiny. But even so, there's more links he will have to the strange and dark world of the Shadow Games...a quickening relationship with Mai Valentine and an old friend who works with the Kaibas. Can Harry help Yugi and the shadowy spirit of the Millennium Puzzle prevail?
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

People who have kept an eye on my sample chapters and abandoned story archive _The Cauldron_ will have noticed the first two chapters of a Harry Potter/ _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ Crossover. Named _Shadows Games and Philosopher's Stones_ , it was going to be the first part of a massive saga that spanned at least up to Fourth Year. But when I first wrote the story two years ago, I lost interest. I only posted the two chapters because it was an interesting work anyway that I thought some people might enjoy.

The response was surprising, and people wanted me to actually start writing the story in earnest. Sadly, I have no more interest in writing First Year stories, despite some of the interesting ideas I had for blending the two universes. I had also lost interest in doing Harry Potter fanfics, given that there's only so many stories you can do.

And yet, the concept of doing a crossover never really went away, and inspiration struck. This, then, is set well after canon of the Potterverse, with Harry being in his twenties, though while things have mostly gone to canon plot, Harry is not with Ginny, nor is he an Auror on the make. Instead, he's a Cursebreaker and single…though it won't be for long. I had this weird idea of shipping Harry with Mai.

This story will be more based on the manga than the anime most know. There will be references to the anime, and even a blend of some of the plot elements and setpieces, as well as some usage of the dub names (Mai will be Mai Valentine here, though there will be a reference to her Japanese name of Kujaku). Oh, and there WILL be references to _Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series_.

Incidentally, the title means 'fire tests gold', a reference to the refining of character, though Harry's already gone through that.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for both Harry Potter and _Yu-Gi-Oh!_

Secondly, there will be heavy annotations, as is usual for my works. You have been warned.

Thirdly, this is an M-Rated work. There will be coarse language, violence, and sexual references, as well as dark themes. Again, you have been warned.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. Harry Potter and _Yu-Gi-Oh!_ are the property of their respective owners. Please, support the official release. Otherwise, Melvin will give you a hug…with a chainsaw.


	2. Chapter 1: Meeting Mai

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **MEETING MAI**

Harry couldn't resist a snort of amusement as the blonde-haired woman took her victim to the cleaners again. She was one of the many dealers in the casino on the cruise ship, and clearly, she was chosen for more than being drop-dead gorgeous. Though that was clearly a factor in hiring her: her well-endowed figure doubtlessly helped distract her opponents, especially as she was just dressed in a leotard, a white coat with tails, and fishnet stockings. She had an odd combination of blonde hair, the epicanthic folds of an Asian, and purple eyes that managed to give her an air of exotic beauty. She seemed to be about his age.

But she was clearly an excellent player of card games of all kinds as well, from the standard ones like blackjack and poker, to even collectable card games like _Duel Monsters_. In fact, that particular game was what she was playing with the current sucker, a florid-faced overweight man who reminded Harry too much of his Uncle Vernon. Oh, she was cheating, in her own way, but it was probably allowed by the owners of the cruise ship to get more people out of their money. He had cottoned onto her secret some time ago. He would have called her out on it, but most of those she used it on were rich idiots who had some way of pissing Harry off. Acting like Malfoy, acting like his relatives, acting like so many he could name. Getting bilked out of what was probably a relatively small part of their monies by a beautiful woman was probably karmic retribution.

It had been a hobby of the past few days during the cruise to Egypt (the journey was pleasure, though the destination was all-business) to watch this woman playing games, once she caught his eye. He had to admit, few women did nowadays, and the ones who did were married. Ever since his rather acrimonious break-up with Ginny, he couldn't find anyone whom he liked, who weren't attached. Hermione and Luna topped that small list, and Hermione had married a Muggle scientist, and was working for some big company in Japan, while Luna was married to Neville, of all people. Harry Potter was Magical Britain's number one eligible bachelor. The problem is, he also had standards, much to the annoyance of many fangirl fiancées. And Ginny had not managed to look beyond the Boy Who Lived myth. Few in Magical Britain ever did.

As the woman's victim decided to cut his losses and leave, her eyes, purple in colour, met his own. She smirked, and crooked a finger. Harry sighed. He had been sitting at the bar, nursing a cocktail, so he came over. As he approached, she said, in an American-accented purr, "You've been sitting there a few nights now, watching me play. Should I call over a bouncer to remove a stalker?"

"I dunno. I'm not really interested in pissing my money away through gambling, though, even if the croupier is a looker. Though I'm surprised that adults bother playing _Duel Monsters_ ," Harry said. "It's a kid's game."

"You could say that about a lot of collectable card games," the woman said with a smile. "Odd thing is, you say you don't gamble, but your eyes tell a different tale. You probably don't gamble in casinos, but in other areas, well, that's another matter." She looked pointedly at his sleeve. "I may have nothing up my sleeve, but you have a wand holster in yours."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "How do you know?"

"I'm a Squib. And I'm guessing you're a Cursebreaker, heading out to Egypt. A few Cursebreakers who haven't got the ten-foot Pureblood stick up their ass take these cruises, unless they're in a hurry. I've met a couple before."

Harry nodded. She got that much right. Bill Weasley, after Harry's breakup with Ginny, had offered to take him under his wing and make him a Cursebreaker for Gringotts. The Goblins were a bit reluctant at first, given the chaos Harry and company caused during their search for the Horcruxes, but some gold from Harry's vault helped smooth things over. And the Goblins realised they had a publicity coup in recruiting the Boy Who Lived…especially once it came out that he had experience in destroying dark artifacts like Horcruxes. He was heading to Egypt to meet Bill, who had taken time off raising his family with Fleur and had wanted to introduce him to a few key figures in Magical Egypt, people he was expected to liaise with while excavating tombs. The names Bill mentioned included Isis Ishtar, as well as a man called Shadi, said to be a man who punished any tomb raiders.

"Do you usually talk to them?"

"They're usually more interesting than most. I'm Mai Valentine," she said.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Your parents must have hated you. ' _My valentine_ '?"

Mai snorted. "It's saner than half of the names in the Wizarding World. I mean, in Magical Britain, you have Gilderoy Lockhart, Bellatrix Lestrange, Arsenius Jigger…and of course, Voldemort. Seriously, that's ' _flight from death_ ' in French. Anyway, it was a choice between my father's name, and my mother's name, Kujaku. She was a Japanese Halfblood. And while Kujaku sounds nice, it means 'peacock' in Japanese. I prefer Valentine as a last name(1)."

"Oh. Sorry to hear that. I'm Harry Potter."

"I knew. Or rather, I guessed since I first saw you. It's a bit hard to mistake you, given how you've been plastered over just about every magical newspaper out there for your whole life, even if your bangs conceal your scar. And half of what they write is full of trash. Can't blame you for wanting to be incognito. Besides, it's not like you're the first celebrity to travel on this ship."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "I'd like to _stay_ incognito if possible."

"That's fine. They don't usually have magicals on this ship. I won't go advertising it. That being said, I have a price to pay. Call it a viewing fee for gawping at me for so long," she said with a smirk.

Harry sighed. "And what price is that?"

"Play a game of _Duel Monsters_ ," Mai said. "No stake. Just a round of the game itself."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Just don't expect me to win. I don't know much about this game. Plus, I know your secret."

"Oh?" Mai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You spray differing perfumes on your cards so that you know what card comes up next. I only found out because I wondered whether you were using magic or something to win so often, so I cast a spell on them to find out what it was. You must have a good nose to tell the difference between them."

"Thank you. Don't get me wrong, I can win card games easily enough without the help, but the owners of the cruise ship turn a blind eye to me using what I like to call Aroma-Tactics. They even let me keep a portion of the winnings. Not that I need it. My parents left me a lot of money." Her face fell at that, and Harry realised that her parents must have died.

"Sorry to hear that."

"Yeah. I know you are, because you went through the same thing. I even heard about where you were raised. I was lucky enough to stay in my family home, not to mention knowing my parents before they died." Mai sighed, before she indicated a number of card decks. "House decks. While you're a novice, I recommend that one. It'd be the one that'd give my Harpy Deck the most problems. I do want something of a challenge…"

* * *

As it turned out, it wasn't much of one. Harry did grasp the rules of _Duel Monsters_ pretty quickly, as well as the concept of Trap and Magic cards, but while he managed to get some good hits in, Mai managed to defeat him rather quickly. "One of the reasons I chose the Harpy Deck is that I can summon the Harpies to the field quickly, and, if I play my cards right, I can destroy traps, as you saw," she said with a smile once they concluded the game. "Don't worry, you did well for your first game, and I've played against supposedly more experienced players who did far worse than you did."

"You've put more thought than most people would into this game," Harry said.

"Actually, I'm probably at 'Professor' level, unofficially. They call _Duel Monsters_ experts 'Professors'. The current American champion used to be 'Bandit' Keith Howard, but he's dropped out of the public eye after a loss to Maximillian Pegasus a month or so ago."

"Pegasus…isn't that the guy who's the creator of _Duel Monsters_? The guy in charge of Industrial Illusions? He's not magical, is he?"

Mai snorted. "With a name like that, you'd think so, wouldn't you? I think he's a No-Maj, what you Brits call Muggles, but I've heard rumours that he works with Gringotts in funding archaeological expeditions in Egypt. There was even a rumour he was inspired to create _Duel Monsters_ after a visit to Egypt."

"Great. And I'm heading there."

"Why that tone?"

"What, the tone of exasperation and dread?" Harry asked. When Mai nodded, Harry said, "If you know anything about my life, you know that I tend to attract trouble."

"…Fair enough. I have heard a few shady things about Pegasus. Remember how I said that he beat Bandit Keith? Well, what he actually did was pick a kid from the audience, write a strategy on a piece of paper, and have the kid follow the strategy. Some people think that Pegasus somehow cheated, finding out what cards Bandit Keith had. I think so too. I know card cheating, and not just because I do it myself. As a croupier, I have to look for cheaters and card counters."

"I once read about a couple of techniques in that James Bond book, _Moonraker(_ _2)_."

"Well, I know more than Ian Fleming wrote about in that. Anyway, I looked at recordings from every angle. How he knew, I have no idea, but he did. Even Seto Kaiba doesn't know, and he was there. I once spoke to him about it on the _Duel Monsters_ circuit at the Japanese championships."

"Seto Kaiba? Wait, that's that kid who's in charge of Kaiba Corporation, right?"

"Yeah, him. Adopted son of Gozaburo after his biological son died(3), along with a younger brother called Mokuba. Seto's apparently a wunderkind as far as _Duel Monsters_ is concerned, not to mention business and technology. He's a genius, but he's also a rather nasty bastard apparently. He's a bit like a Pureblood, if he was a wizard. I heard people say that his unofficial motto is ' _Screw the Rules, I have Money(_ _4)_ '."

Harry snorted. "Sounds like just about every rich Pureblood back home. Kingsley's cut down on graft, but he hasn't managed to remove it completely."

"I hear that. It's as bad back home with the MACUSA at times. It was illegal to marry No-Majs until some decades ago," Mai said.

* * *

They talked like that for a little while longer, before someone else came up to the games table, looking to play a game. Harry took that as a dismissal and left. He had to admit, for all her sexualised appearance and sardonic attitude, he actually liked Mai. She was intelligent, wasn't in awe of his celebrity, and had the same cheerfully anti-authoritarian views as he did.

Over the next few days, they saw each other more. Mai seemed to enjoy talking to someone who wasn't intent on getting into her pants (well, leotard) and who shared her cynical views about the world in general, and wizards and witches in particular. Harry certainly enjoyed talking to a beautiful woman his age who knew his reputation but didn't view him with awe (well, save for a little for actually beating Voldemort at the end of it all), and who had quite the knowledge about _Duel Monsters_. He still wasn't that interested in the game per se, but the lore and strategy involved was intriguing.

He had to admit, he was actually sorry when they arrived at Port Said, where he had to disembark. Mai, in a surprising gesture, had given him her email address. " _When I'm not working on cruise ships, I'm generally on the American or Japanese_ Duel Monsters _tournament circuits_ ," she had said. " _So, don't be a stranger._ "

He had promised not to. As he passed through Customs (through a special Magical section), he thought back to her. There was something about Mai that had drawn him to her, aside from her figure. He didn't believe in love at first sight: Ginny had, but it was far from mutual. She clearly trusted him enough to give him an email address. He had a laptop Hermione had modified, along with a modem years ahead of anything else.

Of course, Mai would have to wait, he reflected, as he emerged from Customs to find his welcoming committee waiting for him. The first was the familiar sight of Bill Weasley, still with Fenrir Greyback's claw marks on his face and that dragon fang earring. The second was rather unfamiliar, a man in what looked like desert clothing, loose white robes and a turban. He wore large hoop earrings, and on his chest was a massive ankh ornament, seemingly made of gold, hanging from a loop of cord around his neck. His most distinctive features, however, were his blue eyes. A contrast with his brown skin, they seemed paradoxically dull and yet piercing, tired and yet perceptive.

Harry approached them, grateful for the enchantments to his glasses Hermione made that could tell whether someone was a Polyjuice impostor, or under the influence of the Imperius. Nobody here, thankfully, was in that state. Considering that some children of Death Eaters or followers of Pureblood ideology would want him dead, it was a reasonable precaution. "Bill, it's good to see you!"

"And you, Harry," Bill said, shaking his hand with a smile. "I can't stay very long, Fleur's expecting our second child soon."

"So Victoire's brother or sister will be coming soon?" Harry asked. "Good to hear." He turned his attention to the other man. "Sorry for ignoring you, sir."

"It is no problem," the man said in a quiet voice. "The reunion of friends is a joy to behold."

"Harry, this is Shadi, the man I told you about."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Shadi," Harry said, proffering his hand, which the Egyptian took with a small smile.

"Likewise, Harry Potter. I consider William to be a good friend and valued colleague. Given how highly he speaks of you, I hope that we can be too. Of course, there is the test I must administer before you become wholly trusted."

Harry sighed. "Of course there's one. Is it potentially lethal?"

"Only to those with greed and darkness dominating their hearts. I believe you will pass the test, Harry," Shadi said, before adding ominously, "Of course, the trials that will come with your work may be another matter…"

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. Harry's met Mai and Shadi, and Shadi is going to administer a test to Harry. Fans of the manga will doubtless know what that test is. Keep in mind, this story will modify the manga's story, blending it with elements of the anime. I don't intend for Death-T to happen, for example, as that makes the Kaibas less redeemable than they are in the anime. And when I say the anime, for all the pedants out there, I mean the second adaptation, the one actually released in the US. I don't mean Season Zero, the fan name given to the first adaptation.**

 **1\. This is what Mai's Japanese name means. To any** ** _Final Fantasy_** **fans, does that sound familiar? Yep, the name of the main villain from Final Fantasy IX, Kuja was a reference to** ** _kujaku_** **. Given how he acts like a peacock, well…**

 **2\. This was one of the things that stuck with me about this novel. Bond mentions working with a card sharp to learn various ways of cheating so that he could spot cheaters. He learns that Hugo Drax is what they call a** ** _shiner_** **, using a polished cigarette case as a mirror to see the cards as he deals them while playing Bridge. Incidentally, the novel** ** _Moonraker_** **is actually closer to the plot of the Bond film** ** _Die Another Day_** **than it was to the film** ** _Moonraker_** **.**

 **3\. My little nod to Noah. I doubt I'll be including that Virtual World arc in this story, but I thought Noah was a nice little addition to the Kaiba family dynamic.**

 **4\. Yep, I did reference that meme from** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series_** **. Deal with it.**


	3. Chapter 2: The Millennium Items

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **THE MILLENNIUM ITEMS**

After leaving the port, they used a combination of Apparition and vehicles to travel far into the desert, into an area with vast ruins from a bygone age of Egypt. Harry was struck by the poem by Percy Shelley, _Ozymandias_. "Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair," he murmured as they walked towards a hatch in the ground.

"Many of the monuments of Egypt have stood the test of time and tide," Shadi said. "We work with Gringotts to ensure that some things are uncovered to allow our people, and the peoples of the world, to gain an appreciation for our past. We also work to ensure that some things remain buried forever."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

A faint, sardonic smile touched Shadi's features. "You'll see." He opened the hatch, and then walked down a staircase thus revealed.

The stone passageways revealed were lit by torches, the light flickering in the darkness. Shadi led them through passages, until they came to a rather homely room with a table. Waiting there for them was an Egyptian woman, an elegantly beautiful woman about Harry's age, perhaps a little younger, but carrying herself with a maturity beyond her years. "Shadi," she said with a brief bow. "William. I presume this is Harry Potter?"

"Indeed. Harry Potter, this is Isis Ishtar, the current leader of the Tomb Keepers. She is also Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities."

"She may be young, but she's very good at what she does for her age," Bill said.

Harry proffered a hand, which Isis shook. "Pleased to meet you," he said.

"And you. I have heard much about you from William."

"Isis," Shadi said quietly. "I must administer the test." From his robes, he plucked a set of scales, apparently made out of gold, with an eye-like symbol at the fulcrum. "What do you know of Egyptian mythology, Harry?"

"I know some things here and there. Bill had me bone up on it before coming here." He frowned when he saw the scales. "Wait a moment…isn't this like the Weighing of the Heart in Ancient Egyptian mythology? My heart versus the Feather of…Ma'at, wasn't it?"

"Indeed," Shadi said, plucking a feather from where it was stuck in his turban, and placing it on the scales.

Harry groaned. He had a bad feeling about this. "So…if I don't answer the right way, I'll get my heart eaten by a homicidal crocodile monster?"

"Yes. Rather, it is answering correctly and truthfully that will have you passing this test. William has passed the test, so I daresay you should be able to. The Millennium Scales give me the ability to test your soul. Now, to begin. A young girl falls into a well. You are the only one to see it happen. But at your feet is an expensive gold ring she was wearing. What do you do?"

"I save her, of course," Harry said. "And give her her ring."

Shadi peered at the scales, which only twitched. "Many have answered that question that way, but few told the truth," he said.

The test continued, before finally, Shadi declared it over. The scales tipped back and forth very slightly during them. After it was over, Shadi removed the feather and placed it back onto his turban. "You are truly fortunate, Harry Potter. Few have passed this test, this Shadow Game, as well as you had. William was one of the few."

"Shadow Game? This was a game to you?" Harry demanded, annoyed.

"Shadow Games are games in deadly earnest, Harry. I took no pleasure from that, save for knowing you passed. Had you not, you would have suffered a Penalty Game. In Shadow Games, the loser undergoes a forfeit known as a Penalty Game. Sometimes, the consequences are lethal, as with this one: Ammit would have devoured your soul. Sometimes, the consequences are not lethal, but fit the offence. And others allow the victim a chance to mend their evil ways."

Bill sighed, before getting up from his chair. "I'm glad you passed, Harry. This is where I have to get going. Shadi and Isis will handle things for now."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Harry demanded, annoyed that he had yet another near-death experience.

"Because he was ordered not to," Isis said. "Do not blame William. Anything to do with the Millennium Items is no laughing matter. We were also confident of you passing the test. You must understand, Harry, that there is significant secrecy around the Millennium Items, and with good reason. They surpass in power and danger the Deathly Hallows of Magical Britain. We need to ensure that anyone working with us is trustworthy, not necessarily pure of heart, but without avarice in their hearts. My father, in his arrogance, never trusted outsiders to help. It was thanks to his actions that a number of Millennium Items are now missing, not to mention losing his life and fragmenting my family."

"So you should understand the need for discretion," Shadi said. "I had every confidence you would pass. Only those who possess the Items, or associate with them, would not have to pass such a test. Then again, if one is unworthy and tries to possess a Millennium Item…they die."

Bill went over to Harry, and gave him a brief hug. "Don't worry, Harry, you'll do fine. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. Say hello to Fleur for me. I'll send letters by owl to the others."

Bill nodded, and they said their farewells, before he left. Shadi then returned his attention to Harry. "Perhaps we should begin by explaining the Millennium Items," Shadi said. "There are seven in total, and only those worthy can wield them. I possess the Scales, as you saw, and this is the Millennium Key." He held up the ankh-like object around his neck, which Harry realised did look like a key. "If this makes contact with a person, I am able to enter their mind with ease, no matter what their ability with Occlumency may be. I can view their Soul Room, a manifestation of their memories and personality. I can even rearrange their Soul Room to make them my puppet, though I can revert that just as easily. I use it in conjunction with the Scales to judge those who desecrate the tombs of the dead."

"I possess the Millennium Tauk," Isis said, and Harry actually noticed the necklace around her neck, with the eye symbol that the Scales had. "It gives me the ability to see along the stream of time, and grant myself and others visions of both past and possible futures."

"The Millennium Eye is in the possession of Maximillian Pegasus, the head of Industrial Illusions," Shadi said. "We believe the current whereabouts of the Millennium Rod to be in the hands of Isis' brother, a rogue Tomb Keeper by the name of Marik. The exact whereabouts of the Millennium Ring and the Millennium Puzzle are currently unknown, but I believe them to be in Japan."

Harry frowned. "If these items are so dangerous, why are three of them loose?"

"My brother Marik was destined to become the leader of the Tomb Keepers, and he found the Rod where we have kept it. He leads a group of tomb raiders and thieves called the Ghouls," Isis said. "In retrospect, there is more I could have done to stop him from following the path he does. Sadly, I cannot change the past. As for the other Millennium Items, they were lost during my grandfather and father's time leading the Tomb Keepers. They were even more isolationist than most of us, for we are bound to protect these ruins and the tombs."

"Of note is the Tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh," Shadi said. "The Millennium Items were forged during his father's reign, and that period of history was the height of the Shadow Games. It was the Nameless Pharaoh who sealed away the Millennium Items and the Shadow Games, though the Items still yearn for destined masters."

"And the Shadow Games?"

"Dark magical games of mortal combat. Many were not dissimilar to _Duel Monsters_ , though that is harmless by comparison. Unless a Millennium Item is involved. Then, the loser will have to undergo a Penalty Game. The game itself can be brought into a dark dimension known as the Shadow Realm. Any game can. Not all Shadow Games are lethal, true, but that depends on the one who makes a game a Shadow Game. In fact, many were used as a form of trial by ordeal, like what I did to you with the Millennium Scales, to determine guilt or innocence."

"Okay, so, dangerous magical artifacts, can make games more dangerous than they have to be. I get that. I'm guessing there's a reason for this, aside from telling me about forbidden artifacts."

"Indeed. As I said, I suspect two of the Millennium Items to reside in Japan. The tomb containing the Millennium Puzzle was excavated years ago. It fell into the hands of a man called Sugoroko 'Solomon' Muto, who had retired from archaeology to run a games shop in Domino City in Japan. I had let the matter go, as the Puzzle will not let itself be assembled by any but the worthy, and nobody who has attempted to do so has managed to assemble it. However, I have heard reports of possible Shadow Games in Domino over the last couple of months. Gringotts has agreed to loan you out as an agent of ours. I intended to head to Domino soon to confront Curator Kanekura of the Domino City Museum. While he has been involved in many legitimate expeditions, he is also well-connected to tomb raiders and the black market. He performed an excavation recently with a Professor Yoshimori that was not in consultation with us," Shadi said. "Indeed, he bribed many officials in the Egyptian government to keep us out of the loop, and had a few killed. We have…punished them. I intend to travel to Japan to confront both Kanekura and Yoshimori."

"But where do I come into it?"

"The first is that I would like you to help me find out whether the Millennium Puzzle has been assembled, and by whom. The second, should that be the case, is to be our liaison in Domino with the bearer of the Puzzle. Given that you had once lived with a prophecy hanging over your head, it would behove the bearer of the Puzzle to have someone who can guide them who knows what that is like, as there are prophecies surrounding the Puzzle too. And those with the Puzzle also tend to be magnets for trouble."

"Great. Just my luck," Harry remarked, sighing in annoyed resignation. "So you want me to keep an eye on them, then?"

"Yes. William recommended you highly, considering you a person of great integrity, bravery, and compassion," Isis said. "And there are times when the Tomb Keepers cannot be seen as acting directly. Many in the Wizarding World see us as dark because of our association with the Millennium Items, as well as harsh punishments to thieves and tomb raiders. We are known to most DMLEs around the world, but some elements would wish to kill us, or even exploit the Millennium Items. And, of course, there is the barbaric practise my family put its heirs through, something many wizards look askance at. The firstborn son must have a tattoo of a specific set of hieroglyphs carved into their backs using the ritual dagger within the Millennium Rod. My father was a proud, cruel, and ruthless man, and in retrospect, I wish I had done more for my brother."

"What actually happened to him?" Harry asked, seeing the pain in her eyes, as well as the self-reproach.

Shadi and Isis looked at each other, before the former nodded. Isis then turned her gaze back to Harry, sorrow evident in her eyes. "Our father completely forbade us from leaving this place during our childhood, but Marik insisted on wishing to venture to a nearby village. Shadi warned us to return. However, when we got back, we found that our father had learned of our absence, and was torturing our adoptive brother, Rashid. He attempted to punish us, but my brother fought back. A split personality emerged, one that had existed since Marik had undergone the ritual, but had taken him over. That personality…for all my father's cruelty, it had nothing on Marik's dark side, Dark Marik. My brother's evil side stole the Millennium Rod, and used it to murder my father, cutting off the tattoo on the back of my father, and draping Rashid in it. Rashid revived, and Marik's darker side receded."

"I came forth, and lamented about the Pharaoh's will causing a rift in the family," Shadi said. "In truth, I thought such a young boy would not be able to handle the truth about being a patricide. However, I chose my words poorly, all it did was turn Marik down the path of darkness. He absconded with the Millennium Rod, Rashid in tow, and founded the Ghouls, and has resisted all attempts to explain what truly happened. They are good at evading our people, and the forces of the Egyptian government."

"All because he was forced to live in a cupboard underneath the stairs," Harry muttered, angry not at Isis or Shadi, but at Isis' father, and the traditions of the Tomb Keepers. Shadi seemed to get the implication, and spoke softly in Arabic to Isis, whose eyes widened, and she looked down at the ground.

"I wish to make up for what happened to Marik, Harry, but he refuses to listen. He's determined to have his own way," Isis said. "He blames the Pharaoh for his predicament, and as it may be possible that the Pharaoh may one day be reincarnated…he is seeking out a means to have his revenge. Until then, he does so by desecrating tombs and robbing them."

"Like the ancient Thief King," Shadi said. "In any case, what we ask you to do is to help us find the holder of the Millennium Puzzle at least, and if possible, guide them and help them. However, I do ask that you be cautious. The Millennium Items and the Shadow Games are not to be trifled with."

"Dangerous dark artifacts and curses and deadly magic?" Harry sighed. "Same shit, different day…"

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Well, there you have it. Harry's met Shadi and Isis, and has passed their test. Now, the next chapter will be set shortly before Shadi arrives in Japan. Harry has been sent ahead, but he will meet Yugi, Anzu (Téa) and Jonouchi (Joey). Bit of a warning for the manga purists: I am doing one of the chapters out of order: namely the restaurant hostage chapter. That happens before Kaiba's first duel with Yugi in the manga, but here, it happens later.**

 **Incidentally, I will be using the name I used for Yami in** ** _Shadow Games and Philosopher's Stones_** **. He will be called Shadow. It's a badass name, reminiscent of another dark vigilante character, the Shadow from the pulp novels, radios, and that movie with Alec Baldwin.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	4. Chapter 3: Yugi's Shadow

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **YUGI'S SHADOW**

Harry had gone to Japan about a day ahead of Shadi, making sure to keep a Translation Charm on him. He had persuaded Shadi to let him do some research on Professor Yoshimori and Curator Kanekura, as he was sure Shadi would use the potentially lethal Millennium Scales on them both. As it was, he had gotten some evidence that Kanekura was heavily involved in the black market for antiquities, and had no problems using his connections with the Yakuza to assault or even silence any troublemakers. Yoshimori, on the other hand, was a dedicated archaeologist whose main fault was neglecting his family: his wife had filed for divorce a year ago, and had taken his son with her. How Harry had found this out was simple: he had asked contacts in the Japanese Aurors, who asked their equivalents in the mundane police.

He had few qualms about allowing Shadi to use the Millennium Scales on Kanekura. He did ask Shadi to use the Millennium Key on Yoshimori to check for any guilt. The Egyptian was somewhat old-fashioned in his idea of justice.

He was considering going to see if he could head to Solomon Muto's game shop to see whether he still had the Millennium Puzzle, when he decided he wanted an early dinner. There was a fast-food restaurant nearby, Burger World, and he headed there. As he approached the entrance, he heard a commotion inside. Screams and shouts. Harry sighed in annoyance. He saw a man in a prison jumpsuit, holding a brown-haired teenager hostage and blindfolded, spot him through the window. Harry dived to the side as the man fired at him.

Snarling, Harry reached into his mokeskin pouch, and pulled out the Invisibility Cloak, draping it over himself. The man was out of view, so when Harry stood, he was looking alertly outwards. "Dammit…he's probably gone to call the cops," the man snarled in Japanese. "Hey, short-stuff! Hurry up with the booze and cigarettes!"

Harry moved closer to the window, readying his wand. He wasn't looking forward to restraining this man, and telling the Japanese DMLE to use Memory Charms on the customers here. But as he readied his wand, he stopped when he saw a short boy shuffling over nervously, carrying a tray with a bottle of vodka and a packet of cigarettes. His first thought was, what sort of fast-food restaurant carries those things nowadays? His second thought was how ridiculously spiky the boy's hairstyle was, dark-red hair in a quintet of points, with a fringe of blonde hair falling across his face, though it looked vaguely like the stone carving of the Nameless Pharaoh.

His third thought, though, was when he saw, dangling from a cord around the boy's neck, a golden pyramid with a familiar eye symbol. It matched the descriptions Shadi gave of the completed Millennium Puzzle.

"Yugi, stay back! It's too dangerous!" screamed the brown-haired girl, only to be viciously slapped by the criminal. Then, Harry felt it. Something in the boy's stance changed. He could have sworn that the eye on the Puzzle glowed briefly.

Yugi, if that was the boy's name, placed the tray on the table. He seemed to be taller, his fringe standing on end, and his bearing was more confident. He sat down opposite the prisoner and smirked. Harry realised that he was about to witness a Shadow Game.

"Who the hell said you could sit down, you little punk?" the prisoner snarled.

"And here I was hoping you wanted to pass the time," Yugi said, his voice a confident purr. "Being cooped up in prison must be boring, so I thought of a game you might want to play. If you have the balls, anyway…"

The prisoner seemed bemused, before sneering. "Okay," he said, taking a cigarette from the packet and jamming it into his mouth, keeping his gun trained on Yugi as he began pouring the vodka into a glass. "High stakes game?"

"Our very lives staked on it. You said you were on Death Row, after all. No higher stake than that. The rules are simple. In fact, there's only one rule: as long as we are sitting at this table facing each other, we may only move one of our fingers or thumbs. But we are free to choose any finger we wish. I'm sure you'd choose your trigger finger, while I choose my thumb."

The prisoner sneered, before saying, "Moron, you can't do anything with just your thumb."

Harry, however, noticed something. In his overconfidence, the prisoner was still filling the glass with vodka, and there was a lighter, like a Zippo. He realised what Yugi intended. Yugi picked up the lighter, and said, "Time to start the game. Would you like me to light your cigarette?"

The prisoner, taken aback, smirked. "Sure. You get to live a few seconds more. Aren't I generous?"

Yugi smirked after lighting the man's cigarette, before placing the still-burning lighter onto the back of the prisoner's left hand, the one pouring the vodka. At that moment, the vodka overflowed, spilling down onto the man's pants. "Move your hand, and the lighter will set the vodka on fire. Pull the trigger, and the recoil may very well jar the lighter off your hand. So much as sneeze…and, well, you get the picture. That cigarette's a time bomb too." He then pulled the girl away. "Anzu, quickly!" he hissed urgently.

"But…my horoscope…" the prisoner said. "My luck is…" And with that, the cigarette dropped from his lips into the pool of vodka. He was soon engulfed in flames with a scream. Harry felt himself not giving a damn. A Death Row escapee, all too willing to kill…yeah, Harry wasn't crying for him, though he whipped off his Invisibility Cloak, dashed inside, and sprayed the man down with a fire extinguisher. Whether the man would survive was another matter, though.

"Is everyone all right?" he yelled. He looked over at Yugi and the Anzu girl. The latter had just removed her blindfold.

"I'm fine. Someone helped me," Anzu said. Harry noticed that Yugi's fringe had fallen back down, and indeed, he seemed to be shorter than he was.

"Someone call the police," Harry said.

"Already on it," said a teenager with light brown hair, heading to a phone. "Moron set himself on fire…" he muttered.

* * *

After giving statements (Harry saying he had tried to find another phone, but didn't succeed), he met Yugi outside of the restaurant. He decided to test something. "Hey, kid. Nice plan to deal with the lunatic."

"Plan?" Yugi asked, confused. His voice was higher-pitched and less confident than he was before. "What do you mean?"

"You were the one who stopped him."

"I did not! I didn't do anything!"

 _So_ , Harry mused, _there's a spirit inside the Millennium Puzzle possessing him. Shadi warned me that this might be the case_. Out loud, he said, "Maybe not you, personally. But have you been having blackouts lately? Times when you can't account for what happened to you? Strange things happening to other people, especially those who threaten you?"

Yugi blinked, and Harry knew that the kid had gone through something like that. "H-How do you know?" he asked.

Harry poked at the Millennium Puzzle. "It's because of this thing. Do you know someone called Sugoroko Muto?"

"My grandfather?" Yugi asked, his eyes wide. "He was the one who allowed me to complete this puzzle."

"Is that right? I think you two need a bit of a talking to…"

* * *

Sugoroko 'Solomon' Muto turned out to be even shorter than Yugi, an old man with a bandanna on his head, with thick grey hair and a beard. He frowned when he saw Yugi in the company of Harry. "What's wrong, Yugi? Anzu phoned ahead, said you were in some hostage situation at the new Burger World."

"I'm fine, Grandpa. This guy was there, but he seems to know something about the Puzzle."

Solomon peered at Harry. Eventually, he said, "And you are?"

"Harry Potter."

To Harry's discomfort, Solomon seemed to recognise the name. "And why did you escort my grandson home, Mr Potter?"

"I have questions, and I have answers. I was retained by special clients who have an interest in the Millennium Items."

"Millennium Items?" Solomon asked. "I never thought the rumours were true!" He looked Harry up and down. "Ah, I see. You're a Cursebreaker now."

"You know of me?"

"I have had limited contact with magical authorities before," Solomon said. "It's due to the circles I work in. I am actually a Muggle, I believe you English would call me."

"Magical?" Yugi asked.

"Mr Potter is a wizard, from England," Solomon said. "He has a certain…fame since infancy, albeit for tragic reasons that I am sure Mr Potter will not thank me if I repeat them. You also need to keep quiet about it, Yugi. Why precisely are you here, Mr Potter?"

"I told you, the people I work for have an interest in the Millennium Items. No, they do not wish to buy or abscond with them."

"Tomb Keepers," Solomon remarked. "I heard rumours about them."

Harry nodded. "I am not at liberty to give much in the way of detail about them. However, I was sent to see if the Millennium Puzzle had chosen a new bearer, and given that this is the case with Yugi, to prepare him for the crap coming his way. Like it or not, being the bearer to the completed Millennium Puzzle apparently means you'll attract trouble like flies to rubbish."

"It seems to be that way, lately," Yugi said. "But what did you mean earlier about blackouts and not remembering anything?"

"Well, let me put it this way. I was actually watching the whole hostage scenario, ready to step in if things went south. You changed, Yugi, as soon as that girl, Anzu, was it? When that idiot slapped her, you changed."

"I remember him slapping her…but nothing after that," Yugi confessed.

"Well, someone was wearing your body like a meatsuit. I think there's a spirit within your Millennium Puzzle. It's challenging people who mean you harm, or do things to you, to Shadow Games, dangerous games of dark magic."

Solomon nodded. "The Shadow Games were infamous. Sometimes, they were used as a form of trial by ordeal. It is said that the Pharaohs used them to pass judgement on the wicked. Are you saying that there's a spirit within this Puzzle, possessing Yugi?"

"Yes. While rather violent to that murderer, it clearly cared enough about Anzu to get her away before the criminal went up in flames."

"What? That was me?"

"No, it's a spirit possessing you. For the moment, let's call it…Dark Yugi? No, Shadow. Now, let's see if I can bring it out." Harry then tapped the Millennium Puzzle. "Hello? Anyone home?"

The eye emitted a glow, and then, suddenly, Yugi was changed once more, his fringe standing on end, his bearing tall and confident. "Only a fool pokes his fingers into a lion's cage," the spirit Harry dubbed Shadow remarked.

"I'm a Gryffindor. That basically means I rush in where angels fear to tread," Harry said with a shrug. "You're the spirit inside that Puzzle, right?"

"Indeed, and I am not an it. I am sure I was a man in life. That is about as much as I can remember, though. Your _nom de guerre_ of Shadow is as good a name as any," Shadow said. "You seem to know more about my circumstances than I do."

"I certainly know about the Millennium Items. Is there any way for Yugi to be awake and aware for this? I mean, possessing him against his will is a bit of a dick move, don't you think?"

"It is his own soul that calls to me, even if he doesn't realise it consciously," Shadow said. "I believe, in time, he would learn about me."

Harry peered at Shadow. While there was a certain aura of darkness around him, he didn't actually feel any malice from the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, his rather brutal punishment of that killer aside. And now that he came to think about it, he now resembled that picture he had seen of the Nameless Pharaoh more than ever. Harry nodded. "Okay, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, for now." He then fished around for the enchanted mirror he sometimes used to talk to Hermione. Actually, she was in Japan now, maybe he could see her in person. "Would you be able to talk to Yugi through this?"

"I can certainly try." He closed his eyes, and Yugi regained control. Meanwhile, Harry set up the mirror on one of the shelves.

"So, there really is a spirit of the Millennium Puzzle?" Yugi asked, looking a little shaken.

"Yes. I think I know who it may be, too," Harry said. As he backed away, an image of Shadow appeared on the mirror's surface. Yugi and Solomon stared.

"Hello, Yugi," Shadow said, smiling reassuringly. "It's good to meet my partner face to face."

"Umm, hello? Were you the one who…drove Ushio mad?"

"And I passed judgement on the others. They would have done worse to you, Yugi. You inherited my power and spirit when you assembled the Puzzle. It proved you worthy of such things. Shadow Games merely unveil the darkness within those souls, and punishes it accordingly, especially if they cheat."

"Leaving that aside," Harry said, "I need to speak with the three of you about the Millennium Puzzle, and what will probably happen in the future. These Shadows Games you have been playing may only be the beginning…"

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. Harry's met Yugi, Solomon, and Yami/Shadow. Now, in case you're wondering why, I believe that the Tomb Keepers don't actually know that the spirit of the Pharaoh is in the Millennium Puzzle. Not for sure, anyway. In the manga, Shadi is actually shocked to find two souls within Yugi, and his purpose in testing Yami is to uncover what the true power of the Puzzle is. He probably learns the truth later, as do the Ishtars.**

 **Also, why didn't Harry intervene sooner during the hostage situation? He was going to, but when he realised a Shadow Game was involved, he took a wait and see approach. Interfering in a Shadow Game is dangerous business.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	5. Chapter 4: Shadi's Mission

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **SHADI'S MISSION**

In the café of the museum two days later, Harry took a sip of some admittedly good tea, and then, remarked to his employer, "You know, now that I come to think of it, you've never eaten or drunk anything around me."

A slight smile twitched at Shadi's lips. "That's because I don't. I am dead."

Harry blinked. "Wait, what?"

"It is a long story. I died nearly five years before, from an attack from what I believe to be the bearer of the Millennium Ring. I am a ghost, albeit a somewhat substantial one. I am bound by my duty until such time as I am released from it, or the Pharaoh remembers his name, and is free to pass into the afterlife."

Harry shook his head. "Does Bill know you're a ghost?"

"Yes. In any case, I will go to see Kanekura. He will be judged via the Millennium Scales."

"Yeah, normally I wouldn't agree, but he's pretty much a bastard. The Japanese Aurors got onto the police about him. They can't touch him. A few guessed why I was interested. The Tomb Keepers seem to be known here. The Aurors here said you're free to do what's necessary."

"Very well. I have liaisons within the various DMLEs across the world, particularly in regions where stolen antiquities get peddled. What of Professor Yoshimori?"

"As far as I can tell, he's innocent, or at least he's unaware of Kanekura's illicit activities. I guess you should use the Millennium Key to make sure…oh, there's a complication."

"And what is that?"

"Yugi's coming here. Apparently Solomon Muto knows Yoshimori, and Yoshimori invited him to this exhibition," Harry said.

"Perhaps that is serendipitous. I can at least see if I can test Professor Yoshimori with the Key, as well as speak to Yugi."

"There's another problem. I only found this out when I got here. Kanekura has put the Millennium Puzzle on display. He must have gotten it off Yugi somehow. And knowing him…"

"I see. You are worried he may intend to sell it off?"

"Maybe."

Shadi nodded. "We will see about that. How did Yugi take having a spirit within the Puzzle possessing him?"

"About as well as he could, under the circumstances. I told them what I could, but swore them to secrecy. Apparently Solomon's had contact with magical authorities before. He also knows about the Tomb Keepers, even if only in rumour. I told them about the other Millennium Items. But there was something bothering me I didn't bring up with them."

"Which is what?"

"That stone slab, the one depicting the Nameless Pharaoh duelling his high priest that Isis has in the museum back in Egypt…the Pharaoh looks a little like Yugi. I only realised that properly last night, after talking to them. And the way Shadow spoke last night, I wouldn't have much trouble believing he was a Pharaoh."

Shadi frowned, before nodding, conceding the possibility. "I will have to see his Soul Room for myself. Once you are finished with your tea, I will go and look at this exhibit."

* * *

Shadi and Harry approached the display cabinet with the mummy. Harry noticed the teenager with the light brown hair from the hostage situation scurrying away. Ah, yes, he was one of Yugi's friends, Katsuya 'Joey' Jonouchi, according to Yugi. The girl from the restaurant was Anzu Mazaki, and there was a boy with a distinctive point of hair sticking forward that Harry recognised from Yugi's descriptions as Hiroto Honda. Jonouchi noticed Harry. "Hey, aren't you the guy who was at Burger World?"

"Yes. Harry Potter."

"Katsuya Jonouchi. Call me Joey."

"Because it makes you sound cool?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. "What're you scurrying away from the mummy for, anyway?"

"I don't wanna get cursed, okay?" Joey said.

Harry scoffed. "You don't have to worry about curses, even if there were any. Just respect the poor sod in the display case, remember he was once alive like you and me, and that's it."

"And what's with the guy behind you?"

Shadi looked at Joey impassively. "I am Shadi. And as Mr Potter has said, you do not have to worry about curses, Mr Jonouchi. You were not the one to disturb this unfortunate's rest."

Joey looked at Shadi for a moment, before going over to talk to the bearded Yoshimori, who was nearby. Harry and Shadi approached the display cabinet, Yugi noticing them as they came up. As Shadi looked at the mummy within the case, he began to weep gently. Yugi looked at Shadi. "Umm, mister? Why are you crying?"

"Forgive me, but these tears are not my own. Behold the desiccated form within, little more now than a mannequin of dust. But even so, he is the eternal Pharaoh, whose spirit lives on with his name. But the sleep eternal is denied to him, woken roughly by harsh hands. It is the cry of his _ka_ that becomes my tears, and which flow down my cheeks."

"That was rather poetic," Harry said sincerely.

Shadi nodded, wiping away his tears, before smiling, and ruffling Yugi's hair. "You're a compassionate little boy. I will see you soon." He then walked away.

"Little boy? I'm in high school!" Yugi growled softly. He looked up at Harry. "Is that the guy you were telling me about?"

"Yes. He'll see you later about your Puzzle. Once you get it back, anyway," Harry said.

"Yugi, who're you talking to?" Anzu asked, before noticing Harry. "Oh, you're the man from the other day."

"Yeah. I'm Harry Potter. I would have helped out earlier, but I noticed the guy saving your life. What happened to that prisoner?"

"He's stuck in a prison hospital, with burns all over his body. It serves him right, he was willing to kill anyone nearby," Anzu said with a scowl. "Plus, that pervert copped a few feels. Did you get a good look at the guy who saved me?"

"He swore me to secrecy," Harry said. "If he trusts you more, I'll let you know."

"Hey, Yugi!" Joey said, coming over. He was indicating a glass display case down a nearby aisle, where the Millennium Puzzle lay on a cushion. "There's the Puzzle!"

As they approached, Harry noticed Kanekura talking furtively to a bearded man who was looking at the Puzzle with a greedy gleam. He couldn't hear the words from here, but the way Kanekura glanced nervously at Yugi and the others approaching didn't bode well.

* * *

As they left the museum, Yugi opted to stay behind, while the others left for their homes. Harry opted to stay with Yugi, who had intended to wait until the museum was nearly closed before trying to contact Kanekura. "So, that man…was he one of the Tomb Keepers?" Yugi asked quietly.

"Yes. He possesses two of the Millennium Items, the Scales and the Key. The Key allows him to enter a person's mind at will, while the Scales allows him to judge the darkness and evil in a man's soul. He'll be returning to Egypt after his business is done, but I'll be remaining here to keep an eye on you and Shadow. Shadow may be good at Shadow Games, but he was only recently awakened, wasn't he?"

Yugi nodded. "I only completed the Puzzle a few months ago. It's a bit scary, learning that I will have these people after me."

"Yugi, I had a dark wizard after me since I was born. You know how your grandfather told you my story was one he didn't want to repeat for my sake? Well, I lost my parents before I was two to that dark wizard, and I was sent to live with relatives who, I reckon, would have benefitted from a Penalty Game themselves. The one who made sure I was kept there set himself up as my mentor. Dumbledore meant well, but in Europe, there's a saying: the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. He did some pretty dubious things, kept too much information to himself. That's one of the reasons I agreed to this: you've been chosen by destiny, but I'll be damned if you do it blindly. I won't tell you everything, true, but I will try to make sure that if I don't tell you, it's for a good reason. Usually, it will be because I'm not allowed to by the Tomb Keepers, but if your life is on the line, then I will say, _fuck it_."

Yugi chuckled nervously. "You seemed rather blasé about me being possessed."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am. I did know of at least one case of possession. A friend of mine…well, ex-friend now, she got possessed by a fragment of that dark wizard's soul. I freed her from it. And the thought of a soul being in that Puzzle does sound a bit too much like dark artifacts I had to chase. And yet, while Shadow is dark, I don't think he's evil. I think it's his whole soul in the Puzzle."

"Does that matter?" Yugi asked.

Harry scratched at his scar absentmindedly. "More than you'd believe. Do you play _Duel Monsters_ at all?"

"Quite a bit. I think Shadow did something to Seto Kaiba during a game after he stole my grandfather's Blue Eyes White Dragon card. Kaiba hasn't been seen at school lately. I know he heads up a corporation, but he's usually there. I got the card back, but…anyway, why did you ask?"

"Oh, I recently played a game against a woman called Mai Valentine. I lost against her, but it was my first time, and she's an expert player…"

* * *

They made small talk for the next little while, until the museum was nearly closed. Yugi decided to go in, but as they made their way through, Shadi intercepted them, the Millennium Puzzle in his hand. "I believe this belongs to you. I had business with the Curator, but he turned out to have died of a heart attack. He should have exercised more. I will call the authorities." He handed the Puzzle over to Yugi.

"Umm, thanks, Mr…Shadi? Isn't that what Harry said your name was?"

"Indeed. Yugi, before I go, I would like to use this on you." He held up the Millennium Key. "I wish to investigate your Soul Rooms to confirm something."

"It's about Shadow, isn't it?" Yugi asked nervously, before nodding. "Okay."

Shadi pressed the key to Yugi's forehead. For nearly half a minute, Shadi was still, before he suddenly convulsed, and then sagged to one knee. "Are you all right?" Yugi asked, concerned.

"Yes, I am all right. I sought to test Shadow…but he tested me," Shadi said, looking a little shaken. He got to his feet. "Yugi, you and Shadow must solve the riddle of the Millennium Puzzle, the riddle of its true power. It is your duty, your destiny. Harry will be your shepherd through these times. We will go. However, be careful of whom you give the Puzzle to. I have it on good authority that Kanekura was a dealer in the antiquities black market, and he may have been trying to sell your Puzzle."

"Oh. Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Shadi!" Yugi scurried off, and Harry and Shadi soon followed.

As they left the museum, Harry said quietly, "You killed Kanekura, didn't you?"

"The man had nothing but avarice in his soul, and had ordered, as you knew, deaths. Ammit devoured his soul after I administered the same test as I gave you. As for his buyer, I merely rendered him unconscious. I have wiped his memory and directed him to go back home. He was merely a greedy fool. I have altered the surveillance recordings of the museum too, to ensure none of us will be incriminated. Myself, you, or Yugi."

"What happened when you used the Millennium Key?"

"We'll talk as we walk, Harry…" Shadi said.

* * *

"So, Shadow let you into the atrium of his Soul Room, but it was like an Egyptian tomb, but as a maze. You nearly fell to your death, so to speak, but Shadow helped you out," Harry said as they walked down the street.

Shadi nodded. "He had me at my mercy, but he spared me. As I said, I was being tested more than I was testing him. And make no mistake, Harry, had I fallen, I would have died permanently. I am a ghost, but not invincible. I will go and test Yoshimori. Should he be fortunate, I will merely leave him a warning, perhaps make him a contact."

Harry remarked, as he half-registered a European woman walking down the street towards them, "I hope that's all you do. Anyway…"

"Harry?"

Harry blinked. Now there was a familiar voice. He looked up and found the distinctive bushy locks and an inquisitive expression he knew so well. After a moment, he said, "Hermione?"

Hermione looked at them, before smiling, and hugging Harry. "Harry, it's been too long!"

Harry smiled himself. So it seemed Hermione was in Domino after all. It was nice to see a familiar face. He didn't know it, but she was going to complicate matters even further…

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Harry and Shadi have met Yugi, and have come across Hermione. Don't worry, this story will still be a Harry/Mai ship, but Hermione will be Harry's in for Kaiba Corp, which will be part of the next chapter.**

 **Incidentally, Harry allowed Shadi to kill Kanekura partly because of Kanekura's crimes. Yes, he allowed a man to be murdered instead of being taken to the proper authorities, but Harry has worked outside the proper authorities for much of his life (** ** _The Order of the Phoenix, The Deathly Hallows_** **, not to mention the various incidents throughout the novels anyway), and Kanekura, at least in this version of events, deserved it. Unlike in the manga, though, Shadi won't be turning Yoshimori into his puppet, though he will test Yugi and Shadow later, albeit in a less dark manner than in the manga.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	6. Chapter 5: Hermione and the Kaibas

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **HERMIONE AND THE KAIBAS**

"So, who are you?" Hermione asked Shadi.

Shadi gave a slight bow. "My name is Shadi. I am Harry's current employer, of sorts. Sadly, the nature of his employment is confidential. All that you need to know is that he is an agent of the Tomb Keepers."

Her eyes widened in astonishment. "The Tomb Keepers? I've read about them, a select group of guardians to the Egyptian tombs, linked with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. The clan it centres around is the Ishtar clan."

"And where, young woman, did you learn of that?" Shadi asked, his eyes narrowing.

"I read a lot, and there were a few books at the Hogwarts library that mentioned you. I picked up some books in my third year after hearing of Ron's vacation to Egypt," Hermione said, a little nervously. When Shadi seemed to nod in acknowledgement, relaxing, so too did Hermione. "Actually, Shadi, I would like your advice on something."

"Why?"

"Normally, I wouldn't be discussing this with you, given the NDAs I had to sign, but my employer wanted me to find what information I could. He encountered someone who had an Egyptian artifact, and who used some sort of magic during a game of _Duel Monsters_ ," Hermione said. "He had him undergo what is called a Penalty Game."

Harry and Shadi looked at each other, with Harry remembering something Yugi had mentioned. "Hermione…is your employer Seto Kaiba?"

"Yes. Why? Do you know this person?"

"Did Kaiba mention someone called Yugi Muto?"

"Yes! Harry, it's horrible. I joined Kaiba Corp along with my husband, Dan Watson(1). But Kaiba…he's obsessed with Yugi, Harry. When he learned I was a witch, he demanded that I be his researcher into magical artifacts. I managed to persuade his little brother not to seek revenge, given what little I learned about the Shadow Games, and I also managed to persuade Kaiba not to do some ridiculous theme park of death idea. But he's still obsessed with avenging himself on Yugi Muto."

Shadi looked at Harry. "Warn Kaiba to the best of his abilities, Harry, that the Millennium Items and the Shadow Games are not to be trifled with. As your friend is already aware to a degree of Shadow Games, I will leave it to your judgement how much you discuss. I will contact you later."

Shadi walked off, leaving Harry with Hermione. After a moment, she sighed. "Look, Harry, could you come with me? I might need your help in persuading Kaiba to call off his revenge."

"How do you think I'd be able to do that?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, but he learned of you through me. So did his little brother, Mokuba. Mokuba's sweet once you get past his more bratty façade, but Seto…when I'm not researching, I'm effectively babysitting Mokuba. Mokuba's the only person he loves, and of late, even that's on the wane…"

* * *

Harry and Hermione made their way to the Kaiba mansion on the outskirts of Domino. It was a magnificent, very European style mansion, bought by Gozaburo when he was still alive, so Hermione said, and there were a few similarly palatial properties nearby. Hermione managed to get Harry in, though he had to get frisked by a couple of burly security guards, with his wand given to Hermione.

Soon after entering the mansion, a small kid with a messy mane of dark hair emerged, playing around with some Capsule Monster toys. There was something about the young boy that reminded Harry painfully of his own past. "Hey, Hermione!" he said cheerfully. "Who's this?"

"Mokuba, this is Harry, the friend I told you about. Harry Potter, meet Mokuba Kaiba."

"Hey," Harry said, smiling at the short boy.

"Hey," Mokuba returned. "Hermione, Seto isn't back from work yet. I'd play Capsule Monsters, but I want to play someone other than you, and Hobson's busy cleaning. Does Harry here know?"

"I can't even play _Duel Monsters_ that well," Harry said. "I've only played the one game."

"He'd probably beat you soundly," Hermione remarked. "Mokuba's the national champion of Capsule Monsters in Japan. Harry may have some information we need, though. About Yugi and that Egyptian artifact."

Mokuba's face fell, before he nodded. "Okay, well, we'd better take this inside."

He led them into a room that seemed part-study, part playroom, with a large Capsule Monsters play table in the middle, and Capsule Monsters merchandise and toys everywhere. Mokuba drew up a chair, and had a couple ready for Harry and Hermione in short order. The boy seemed all business now, with a frightening maturity for a kid who wasn't even in his teens. "Hermione's told us quite a bit about you, Harry," Mokuba said. "It took Seto a while to believe in magic, even before that whole thing with Yugi. The problem is, he's now become obsessed with Yugi, trying to beat him."

Harry pursed his lips. "Yugi and his grandfather told me what happened. Your brother stole a rare card, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, from them, and refused to own up. Yugi then challenged him to a _Duel Monsters_ game, and won."

"What about this other Yugi my brother mentioned? He seemed to turn into a different person," Mokuba said.

"I call him Shadow. He's the one who is within that Millennium Puzzle of Yugi's. Which is the point I wanted to make. The Millennium Items are not to be messed around with, and especially not their bearers. From what I learned, your brother got off very lightly, being scared out of his wits. The Millennium Items can cause their victims to lose their souls at the worst extreme. If your brother values his life, he will leave Yugi Muto alone."

Mokuba pursed his lips, before shaking his head. "Harry, I get what you're saying. I wanted to take revenge for what Yugi did, or rather, what Shadow did, but Hermione persuaded me otherwise. It's all we can do to have Seto stop from even worse plans than the one he had already, but he won't listen. My brother's almost possessed. Could the Shadow Game have influenced him?"

"Not as far as I know, Mokuba," Harry said. "The Millennium Puzzle only influences the bearer in any way, beyond the punishments a Penalty Game inflicts. No, I think it may simply be that your brother is a bad loser."

Mokuba flinched. After a moment, he said, "You're not wrong. Do you know how he came to be head of Kaiba Corp?"

"Not really. I know Gozaburo adopted him, and presumably you, after his actual son Noah died. Didn't Gozaburo commit suicide or something?"

"Yes," Hermione said. After looking at Mokuba, who nodded, Hermione explained, "Seto and Mokuba were abandoned at an orphanage when they were young. Their mother died shortly after giving birth to Mokuba, and their father died in an accident, and their relatives defrauded them of their inheritance. Gozaburo came around to the orphanage to adopt an heir, and Seto challenged him to a game of chess."

"But Seto cheated," Mokuba confessed quietly. "And after we were adopted…my father put Seto through hell, shaping him into the perfect businessman, the perfect heir…but he abused him, twisted my brother out of shape. Then, Seto, along with the Big 5, instituted a takeover."

"The Big 5?" Harry asked.

"The main executives and shareholders of Kaiba Corp," Hermione explained. "Greedy and canny and very opportunistic."

Mokuba nodded. "But once we took over, Gozaburo threw himself out of the boardroom window, but not before telling my brother to remember one thing only: to lose was as worse as death itself."

"Merlin, that's messed up. No wonder your brother's a sore loser," Harry said sympathetically. "He got that from Gozaburo."

Mokuba nodded once more. "I know. We got the good life we had hoped for…but my brother lost something in the process."

"And he's got his sights set on Yugi Muto," Harry muttered. "That is so not going to end well."

"For Yugi, anyway."

The voice, a cold rasp, came from behind them, from the door they hadn't noticed opening. Harry whirled to find a boy in his late teens, tall and proud, with a short, neat mop of brown hair, standing there. His handsome features were marred by his cold, haughty demeanour that seemed very much like a Malfoy, and his icy blue eyes had a vaguely dead look to them. He looked vaguely familiar, like that stone carving that depicted the high priest of the Nameless Pharaoh. And, of course, there was the fact that, as the head of Kaiba Corp, he had to be familiar for other reasons.

Harry stood, facing the newcomer. "Seto Kaiba, I presume?" he said.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Harry Potter."

"Ah, the wizard whom Granger speaks of," Seto said, proffering a hand which Harry took. At least they could observe the pleasantries. "And one who hates his ill-deserved fame."

"Not all of it is ill-deserved, Kaiba," Harry said. "But I hate it all the same."

Seto grunted in acknowledgement. "Well, at least you're not as arrogant as some of those idiots I've had to deal with since employing Granger," he said.

 _Hello Pot. My name is Kettle. You're black_ , Harry thought to himself(2). Out loud, he said, "I was just telling your brother about the Shadow Games."

"Oh? You know something about them?"

"Yes. Here's my advice, Kaiba. Don't mess around with Yugi anymore. You got off lucky. Penalty Games can end with your soul being taken at the worst. Take it from someone who has had to deal with the darkest kind of magic and lived to tell the tale. There are some things money can't buy you or buy your way out of."

Seto snorted. "I am yet to see anything like that."

"Then you haven't been looking hard enough. That's a warning. Not a threat, because I'm not threatening you. I'm just warning you of danger. If nothing else, think of what might happen to Mokuba if something happened to you, Kaiba."

Seto seemed briefly about to retort viciously and angrily, especially given that his brother was brought up, before he controlled himself, and said, in a rather controlled tone, "I will take it under consideration. Mokuba, we have the blueprints of the holographic projectors to go over before dinner. Granger, please take Potter out."

* * *

Hermione had, understandably, apologised profusely for Seto's behaviour. Harry had waved it off. Hermione had talked to him briefly as she escorted him off the mansion grounds. There were only two real reasons she stayed at Kaiba Corp with a boss like Seto: her husband, and Mokuba, whom she spent a surprising amount of time babysitting. She thought she was still doing some good where she was.

Still, it seemed like Seto hadn't been deterred from his course, Harry reflected as he said his goodbyes to Hermione, his wand handed back over. The only thing he seemed to care about was Mokuba, and even then, his relationship seemed somewhat cold and distant. Harry resolved to keep as close an eye on Seto Kaiba as he could, if only to protect Yugi and those he cared about. Hopefully, he could count on Hermione to mitigate the worse of it.

He was so caught up in thought, he didn't notice the snazzy convertible pulling up alongside him in the early evening darkness until the driver beeped the horn. He leapt a good few feet into the air, and whirled to berate the driver, only to gape when he realised who it was.

Smirking at him, dressed in a miniskirt, tube top, and jacket, was Mai Valentine. "Hey, handsome," she purred. "Haven't heard a word from you since you got off at Port Said. What're you doing here?"

"Just a visit to the Kaibas," Harry said, bemused. "Umm, what're you doing here?"

"I live here, of course," Mai said with a roll of her eyes. "Well, just down the road, anyway. Just finished my latest bout on the cruise liner, so I decided to come home. A few of the rich morons were getting angry anyway. And I heard there may be some new _Duel Monsters_ tournaments happening soon. Word on the grapevine is that Pegasus may be organising some before long. Why were you visiting the Kaibas?"

"An old friend was working for them, and she wanted my help with a confidential issue," Harry said. "You live here?"

"I told you my parents left me quite a bit of money, though I might not have mentioned the mansion," Mai said. "You looking for somewhere to stay?"

"Actually, I'm staying at a hotel," Harry said.

"Well, if you want, you can stay with me."

"Why?"

"Well, you piqued my interest back on the cruise for one thing. For another, I have a ridiculous amount of spare bedrooms with nobody sleeping in them, and it'd be nice to have someone apart from a servant in the house. And I want to train my very own _Duel Monsters_ opponent to play against to keep my skills sharp. And I want to have someone to talk to who isn't afraid of having a conversation with a beautiful woman without expecting to get into her pants."

Harry blinked at that. "…Okay. Still seems a bit sudden, though. I'll need to get my stuff from the hotel, okay?"

"Sure."

Harry Apparated to his hotel room, and spent a few minutes hurriedly gathering his things, shrinking the bulkier items. He would ring the hotel to check out properly in the morning. He then Apparated back to the side of the road where he left Mai, who was still waiting, surprisingly. "Hop on in," she said. "You ever ridden in one of these before?"

"No. I have been in a flying car, though," Harry said as he clambered into the car.

"Ha. That figures," she said as she drove off.

Her house wasn't that far down the road. She drove through some automated gates, and they came up to a mansion as magnificent as that of the Kaiba's. But there was something strangely melancholy about it that Harry couldn't put his finger on. Then again, Mai seemed to be looking at it with a strange sadness in her eyes. She shook it off, before declaring, "Welcome to Kujaku Mansion!"

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **I have to admit, this was something of a weak chapter, but I wanted Harry to meet the Kaibas before the Mind Crush. Because this is something of an AU, unlike the manga, Hermione's already persuaded Mokuba not to force Yugi into a rigged Capsule Monsters game, and Death-T is now just a normal theme park. Seto's still going to force Yugi to duel him, though. But I wanted to make Mokuba more sympathetic from the outset (he's an evil little brat in the manga, and I frankly prefer how the anime made him more sympathetic initially), and Harry, Hermione and Mai will help protect him from Pegasus and the Big 5 when the Duellist Kingdom arc comes around.**

 **Hermione, incidentally, has an older sister relationship with Mokuba. This is partly because she can see something of Harry in him, in that he was orphaned and treated poorly by Gozaburo. She divides her time between looking after Mokuba and working on the duel arena technology with her husband, who is an OC for this story.**

 **The encounter with Mai came about because of a few reasons. The first was that the chapter's wordcount was low, even after meeting the Kaibas. The second was that I wanted to reintroduce Mai into the story sooner rather than later. The next chapter, in fact, will have more Harry/Mai. I hope.**

 **1\. I chose a portmanteau of Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson for the name of Hermione's OC spouse.**

 **2\. This is used by Noah Kaiba in episode 54 of** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series_** **when Seto accuses him of being a selfish heartless bastard.**


	7. Chapter 6: Harry's First Deck

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **HARRY'S FIRST DECK**

Shadi, having satisfied himself as to Yoshimori's guilt (or lack thereof) was preparing to depart for Egypt, though not before warning the professor to mend bridges with his estranged family. He also asked Harry to try and stay in regular contact with Yugi Muto. Harry acknowledged this, and told Shadi of Kaiba's resemblance to the high priest of the Nameless Pharaoh. It seemed that it was possible that Kaiba was a reincarnation, though whether he'd accept such a thing when he barely tolerated the idea of magic, Harry had no idea.

Harry spent an interesting day at Mai's mansion. For such a rich young woman, she was quite casual and dismissive of her wealth. Harry guessed it was due to the fact that she owed her money to her parents' demise. He had to wonder why exactly Mai was being so generous with him. Maybe it was because he was the first man she had met in a long time that wanted to talk to her, and could do so with a minimum of staring at her (admittedly lovely) breasts. Maybe it was the shared past of being orphans with links to the magical world. And she seemed fixated on teaching him how to play _Duel Monsters_.

Harry had frowned as she discussed the various rules. Shadi and Isis had actually mentioned something about _Duel Monsters_. It was actually Pegasus' revival of an ancient game played by the Egyptians for a few centuries, ending with the reign of the Nameless Pharaoh. It was one of the more popular Shadow Games of the time, using beasts from the Ka or soul to do battle. Many of the beings and monsters in _Duel Monsters_ were based on these ancient Egyptian battles. The Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl, for example, were apparently based on two mages who served the Nameless Pharaoh. The former seemed oddly familiar to Harry, though he wasn't sure why.

Apparently there were a trio of cards based on Egyptian gods, or at least variations of them. Pegasus had created them, but misfortune had befallen most of those working on them, and Pegasus was persuaded by Shadi and Isis to give them the cards for safekeeping. Unfortunately, two of the cards had fallen into Marik's hands: the Winged Dragon of Ra, and the Sky Dragon of Osiris(1). Obelisk the Tormentor was still in Isis' hands, though.

Incidentally, after considerable discussion with Shadi, Harry was finally able to nut out how he should treat discussing Shadow Games. He should be sparing unless he was talking to someone who had either experienced a Shadow Game, or had witnessed one. However, full disclosure, or as much as possible, should be given to a bearer, like Yugi.

* * *

"Okay," Mai decided in the afternoon of the first day he was spending at her mansion. "I think it's about time we got you a deck of your own, Harry."

Harry frowned at the declaration. Then, an idea came to him. "Mai, what about the Kame Game shop?"

"Oh? And why would you suggest that?"

"I know the owner and his grandson. Well, I only met them recently, but I helped them out over some trouble with an Egyptian artifact they had," Harry said. "You know that business I had to deal with in Egypt? I can't say that much yet, but it was to do with specific magical artifacts, one of which this kid has. You'll probably meet him sooner or later on the _Duel Monsters_ circuit: apparently he loves games of all kinds, including _Duel Monsters_."

Mai frowned. "Wait a moment…Kame Game…that's owned by that former archaeologist, Solomon Muto," she mused. "He's a noted games player as well. Rumour has it that he once played the Devil Board Game and won."

"He's also one of the few people who has a Blue-Eyes White Dragon in his possession," Harry said. "Seto Kaiba actually tried to steal it."

"Seriously?" Mai snorted. "Doesn't actually surprise me, but I didn't think he had the balls to steal it outright. Did they get it back?"

"Yeah, Yugi, that's Solomon's grandson, tanned Seto's hide in a game of _Duel Monsters_."

"Wow, that's impressive. Seto Kaiba's a damned good player," Mai said. "Like me, he's considered unofficially a Professor."

"All this fuss over what is pretty much a children's card game," Harry muttered.

Mai scoffed in annoyance. "While it's true that a lot of kids play it, it's a game adults can play, and well. Otherwise, I wouldn't play it. The usage of Traps and Spells, in the right way, can be a work of subtlety, given the right edge with the hazard of chance. While my Harpy Deck is effective, it's not unbeatable by any means, but it's a strong deck against the unprepared. Especially with the new rules being put into play soon. Well, let's head over to this game shop…"

* * *

An Apparition later, and Harry and Mai were soon walking the rest of the way to the Kame Game shop. It was before the end of school, so only Solomon was present as they entered. "Ah, Harry! And…who is this fine young lady?" he asked.

"Mai Valentine," Mai said with a smile. "I'm training Harry to be able to play a game of _Duel Monsters_ , and I think he needs his own deck. He tends to be somewhat direct, so I think for his first deck, a Beatdown-style deck would be appropriate, with elements of a Virus deck."

Harry nodded. Mai had explained this strategy. While her personal Harpy Deck would be strong against a Beatdown style, given that she could remove placed traps with her strategy, she reckoned that he tended towards a direct battle style. He had remarked this was due to him being in Gryffindor, an assessment that had her chuckling. Beatdown decks needed Trap and Spell cards to help counter any Traps used by the enemy, as well as to keep them from disrupting Harry's cards.

The Virus-style deck elements were meant to also disrupt the cards of Harry's opponents, removing them from play.

Solomon smiled at Mai. "It is good to see a young woman who knows so much about the game, and knows what style would suit a person." His face fell a little. "Actually, one of the more famous users of a Beatdown-style deck is Seto Kaiba. I can reconstruct his deck, perhaps, but with some modifications?"

"What do you reckon, Harry? Do you mind using a deck based on Seto Kaiba's?" Mai asked.

Harry shrugged. As much of an arsehole as Seto was, Harry didn't mind using a deck based on his. "No. Though I'm wondering how you know about his deck."

"I saw him playing _Duel Monsters_ on television once. This was before he stole my Blue-Eyes," Solomon said. He began pulling card folders out, and constructing a deck with an expert eye. As he did so, Solomon asked, "Have you played any tournaments, Miss Valentine?"

"Some. I prefer to play against the serious players, preferably those who've made it out of puberty," Mai said. "Fighting some toddlers like 'Insector' Haga or 'Dinosaur' Ryuzaki doesn't really appeal to me. Not unless it was in a real big tournament. Oh, they're decent enough players, but I'm not usually into beating kindergarten kids. Unless it amuses me. There's an older player called Ryota Kajiki who's more interesting, though he's somewhat eccentric, to say the least. He usually duels under the pseudonym of 'Mako Tsunami', and uses a deck with a lot of aquatic creatures."

"My grandson Yugi is quite the player himself," Solomon said. "He practises with my deck, though he has one of his own. He loves board and card games of all kinds. He used to be bullied at school for it. I know that Joey boy and Honda used to, at least until Yugi tried to protect them from an even bigger bully called Ushio."

As Solomon turned over a page in one of the card folders, Mai raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you have the Exodia set?"

"Indeed. It's in my personal deck, and I was lucky enough to find another set," Solomon said, tapping a quintet of cards depicting the limbs and head of a massive, Egyptian-style giant. One that looked familiar. He had seen that image in that damned stone slab.

On seeing Harry's frown, Mai explained, "Exodia the Forbidden One is a quintet of cards that, if you have all five in your hand, you can declare an instant victory. Sadly, it wouldn't be much good in a Beatdown deck, unless you really wanted a trump card, or something to tribute-summon monsters."

"Pity," Harry said. He liked the idea of an instant win card set.

Solomon said, "Remember when Yugi and I spoke to Shadow the other day? I believe I saw him once before. He helped me when I was trying to go through the very tomb I found the Puzzle in. He seemed to mistake me for someone else, though."

* * *

After about fifteen minutes, Solomon seemed satisfied with the deck. But then, something seemed to occur to him. He smiled, before he reached into a display cabinet and plucked out a card.

Harry and Mai's eyes widened when they saw what it was. It was none other than the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "Wait, what are you doing, Solomon?" Harry asked. "Isn't that your own Blue-Eyes? The one Yugi retrieved from Seto Kaiba?"

"Of course," Solomon said. "There's a few reasons why I wish to give this to you. The first is that a Beatdown deck will benefit with a Blue-Eyes as a trump card. The second is that it is a thank you gift of sorts, for helping us with Shadow, and warning us about other Millennium Items."

"Sorry?" Mai asked.

"The Egyptian artifacts I mentioned," Harry said. He looked at Solomon. "When you and Yugi, along with Shadow, told me about what happened, you refused Kaiba's offer for the card because it had sentimental value for you. Why give it to me, then?"

"Because it was given to me freely, Harry, to do with as I wished," Solomon said. "Kaiba only saw cards in terms of rarity, power, and monetary value, not sentiment. He stole it from me because he saw a powerful card that he coveted, not caring for the sentiment I felt towards it, not respecting it as a card. But you, Harry, I know you would respect the sentiment. I know you will respect this card, which is why I give it to you freely."

"Harry, take it," Mai said. "A Blue-Eyes, like he said, will be great in a Beatdown deck."

After a moment, Harry said, "Okay, if you're offering it. Thanks, Solomon. Given how you and Yugi spoke of it, that card means a lot to you. I'll be sure to treat it with the respect due to it. And I'll also make sure Kaiba keeps his grubby mitts off it."

"Yes, well, I must confess, that was another reason for it," Solomon said with a rueful smile as he added a few more cards to Harry's deck along with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "I thought Kaiba might try to steal it again."

"He's up to something, Solomon," Harry warned. "One of my old friends is working for him. She's keeping his little brother on the straight and narrow, but I think Kaiba's going to try something, even with my friend trying to keep him from doing so. Watch your back, okay?"

"Okay. And thanks for the warning. Oh, would that friend be a young woman with bushy hair, by the name of Hermione Granger?" On Harry's nod, he said, "She came here a few weeks ago to buy some Capsule Monster merchandise for someone. I didn't know you knew each other."

"The merchandise was probably for Mokuba Kaiba," Harry mused. "Anyway, thanks a lot, Solomon. I'm grateful for the help, and the card."

"Always happy to help," Solomon said with a smile.

* * *

They left shortly afterwards, and Apparated back to Mai's mansion, where Harry was shuffling through the deck. "Still can't believe he gave up this Blue-Eyes voluntarily."

"Actually, what was that all about? Who was this Shadow you were talking about?"

Harry winced. After a moment, he decided to go with it. Better to explain now, given how Solomon let things slip, than explain later. "Okay, well, this is stuff you have to be quiet about. Like, Statute of Secrecy quiet. You'll probably encounter Yugi if he ends up in a _Duel Monsters_ tournament you're in. Yugi's a quiet, shy boy normally. A very good game player. But, well, he has this artifact called the Millennium Puzzle, an Egyptian one with magic. The Puzzle has a spirit within that takes him over at times. I dubbed the spirit Shadow, because when he emerges, it's like a dark or shadowy Yugi."

"What, so he gets possessed? Sounds like Dark Magic."

"It straddles the line. It's part of the Egyptian Shadow Magic. Anyway, apparently, because he completed the Puzzle, he's got a destiny, like yours truly used to have. The problem is, games that he plays are frequently Shadow Games, high-stakes games that have a Penalty Game at the end, a sort of mystical punishment. Kaiba, after he cheated during their card game, got off lightly. Apparently he had _Duel Monsters_ creatures attacking him in an illusion. Shadow uses poetic justice against those who would harm Yugi and his friends. That Ushio guy Solomon mentioned, apparently, began believing that leaves and rubbish were piles of cash for several days."

"And if I play against him, would I have to play a Shadow Game?" Mai asked.

"Not unless you spectacularly pissed him off," Harry said. "He'll probably just give you the duel of your life, otherwise."

Mai chuckled. "Well, that might be interesting, then. Are you sure this Shadow isn't evil?"

"Not really. I've spoken to him. He has a rather more old-fashioned sense of justice, but he's not evil. Believe me, he's probably closer to Mad-Eye Moody," Harry said. On her look, he said, "Famous Auror back home."

"Ah. Cowboy cop type? Like Dirty Harry, or Jack Regan from _The Sweeney?_ "

"I guess. Paranoid as hell, but he had good reason to be."

"Fighting Death Eaters would be no laughing matter," Mai agreed. She then smiled as they sat down in one of her living rooms. "You know, I'm actually enjoying this, Harry. I think I made the right decision asking you to stay here."

"Why?"

Mai looked rather pensive, before she admitted, "I've been searching for something for quite a while. I didn't know what it was. But I think it might have been a friend. I haven't really had many friends, I mean apart from my servants."

"Wow. I mean, I understand that. And I'd like to be your friend too, Mai. Just as long as you're doing it to be friends with Harry Potter rather than the Boy Who Lived."

She scoffed. "You were famous for having your parents murdered by an obsessed madman and surviving the experience, despite said madman's best efforts. That's being famous for the wrong reasons, Harry."

"Glad someone sees it that way," Harry said.

* * *

That night, oddly enough, he dreamed of Ancient Egypt. He dreamed of the Nameless Pharaoh, of a girl called Mana, of a high priest who looked suspiciously like Seto Kaiba. He dreamed of a vast demonic figure (with a dragon for a dick?!), and of a ruthless king of thieves with lavender hair and a scar. He dreamed of once owning what had to be a Millennium Item that looked like a dreamcatcher.

It was a confused Harry who woke up the next day, frowning. What the hell had that been all about? He couldn't quite dismiss what he had seen, though. Magic and vivid dreams tended not to mix well, after all. But was he seeing the past? Or was this like Voldemort, someone trying to deceive him?

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Harry and Mai are bonding over** ** _Duel Monsters_** **, and Harry's got his first deck. It doesn't mean Harry will be playing many games yet, though.**

 **Now, why did Solomon give his card to Harry when he wouldn't to Seto Kaiba? Well, I explained Solomon's reasoning in the chapter. Solomon's friend gave it to him freely and willingly as a gift. Solomon therefore is willing to give it to anyone he chooses. Giving it to Harry was a way of thanking Harry for his help with Shadow, as well as trying to keep it out of Kaiba's hands. And while Harry is no subscriber to the whole 'Heart of the Cards' BS, he at least appreciates Solomon's sentiment towards the Blue-Eyes, and so will take care of it.**

 **The dream-sequence at the end is the beginning of some foreshadowing. Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros wrote something in a review, a good idea that I've actually decided to put into the story. Normally, as you should know, I do not take ideas (so do not offer them as refusal WILL offend!), but this is one of the few exceptions.**

 **Something I realised after writing the previous chapter is that Hermione would be Hermione Watson rather than Granger. I think Harry still thinks of her as Granger out of habit, and Kaiba uses her maiden name to differentiate her from her husband.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Alex2909** **: I wrote that in partly to give Hermione something to do other than being brainy, and partly to justify Mokuba being closer to his anime counterpart. Well, the** ** _Duel Monsters_** **anime anyway, rather than** ** _Season Zero_** **. The manga version of Mokuba, frankly, was an obnoxious and malicious little brat until partway through Duellist Kingdom, though he starts becoming more sympathetic even near the end of the Death-T arc. I wanted him to be more sympathetic from the outset. I've also changed Seto subtly so he is less overtly evil, though he is still going to deliberately force Solomon to play a duel, with the realistic pseudo-Penalty Game still giving Solomon a heart attack. Also, Harry and Mai won't be falling in love instantly, though they get closer by the time the Duellist Kingdom comes along, enough to possibly be friends with benefits.**

 **Morbious20** **: This is canon to the manga. Mokuba, while explaining what happened to Yugi after Yugi used Mind Crush on Seto, confesses that Seto cheated at chess to ensure they would be adopted. Mokuba regrets Seto cheating, as he believes that was when Seto forgot how to smile genuinely. This is in Volume 5 of the original manga, in** ** _Duel 40: A Piece of His Heart_** **.**

 **Guest** **: Lovely analogy, but I won't be using it. Sorry.**

 **1\. I went for the original Japanese name of Slifer, if only because it sounded more Egyptian than 'Slifer the Sky Dragon'. Seriously, who translated some of these card names?**


	8. Chapter 7: Thinking Outside the Battle

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **THINKING OUTSIDE THE BATTLE BOX**

Harry flung his arms into the air triumphantly. "Yes! I finally beat you at this game!" he cheered.

Mai laughed, taking her cards off the gaming table and shuffling them. "Congratulations. I knew you'd get there in the end. Admittedly, a lot of _Duel Monsters_ is luck. Even with a well-constructed deck, you may not always get the cards you want, especially at the beginning. You didn't even get the Blue-Eyes, though you managed to beat me without it. And on our second game with your new deck, too. I think you're getting the hang of this game. Nowhere near the level of Professor, never mind the snot-nosed brats who're obsessed with this game, but certainly enough to give me a challenge. Of course, every player has their own different style. I've studied a few of them. You're like Seto Kaiba in playstyle, which is why I thought this deck was good for you. It's about a blitzkrieg attack, not actually a thoughtless berserker, but rather, trying to get the battle over and done with, reducing your opponent's lifepoints as fast as possible. My style is mostly about summoning as many monsters as possible while disabling traps and avoiding attacks, hence why I enjoy the Harpy Deck. It's what's known as a Swarm tactic."

"The fact that it's populated with a bunch of scantily-dressed female monsters doesn't enter into it?" Harry asked wryly. The Harpies, after all, looked like they were wearing little more than sling swimsuits with stockings, and looked like some monster girl BDSM fantasy. And that was before they got whips and fetishistic armour, too.

"Oh, it does, actually. A small but vital part of Duel Monsters is psychological warfare," Mai said with a smirk. "That's one of the reasons I used my Aroma-Tactics. They'd be on edge against someone who appears to be psychic, and who hasn't marked their cards in any visible way. It'd take a discerning nose to determine that they've been sprayed with different perfumes. That's technically cheating, but you're one of the few that caught on. Of course, I also dress in this way to distract my opponents. They're too busy staring at my cleavage to think strategically about the battle. That's another reason I chose the Harpy Deck. As you noted, they're rather sexy-looking, enough to potentially distract some players, especially the lecherous, or hormonal teens."

"Those are good tactics, and not actually cheating, unlike the Aroma-Tactics," Harry said.

"I know. Even you were a little distracted. The fact that you give it your best anyway is why I'm glad you agreed to stay here. You see me as more than a sexy woman, and I'm glad to know the man behind the myth of Harry Potter," Mai said.

Any further discussion was cut short when her phone rang. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Mai went over to it and answered it. "Hello? Kujaku Mansion, Mai speaking." She frowned. "Yes, I am. Ah, I see. You want me to try it out? Well, why not? Actually, I have a friend over, I'm sure he'd love to see this. Okay. We'll be there as soon as possible. Thanks. Bye."

"Who was that?" Harry asked.

"Remember how you told me your friend Hermione worked at Kaiba Corp? That was her, ringing on behalf of Seto Kaiba," Mai said. "They've got some sort of prototype game table that uses holograms for _Duel Monsters_. They're setting it up in the grounds of the Kaiba mansion, so we can walk over and I can have a duel."

Harry frowned. "With Kaiba?"

"No, actually. Apparently Hermione's going to be my opponent, and no, I won't use Aroma-Tactics on her. It's not going to be a serious game, it's just a test of the technology…"

* * *

They walked to the Kaiba mansion, and were directed into the grounds, though Harry noted that he was allowed to keep his wand this time. They were escorted to what was once a small cricket pitch (Harry wondered whether Gozaburo preferred cricket to baseball, the latter of which he knew was more popular in Japan) on the grounds, where a most extraordinary thing was being set up. It looked for all the world like a Perspex cubicle, mounted on a dais, large enough to contain a gaming table designed for _Duel Monsters_.

Standing around it were the familiar forms of the Kaiba brothers and Hermione. However, there were two other men, leaving aside the various technicians. One of them had blonde hair framing a handsome, if rather pensive face. Harry recognised him from photos Hermione had sent him: this was Dan Watson, her husband.

The other was a tall, elegantly-dressed man in red, old-fashioned clothing. His shoulder-length hair, oddly enough, was lavender, and he had a vaguely camp air about him. He was saying, "…the way that you created these realistic holograms is astonishing, Kaiba-boy!" He was speaking in English, albeit with an American accent. "You and your development staff are to be congratulated."

Seto glared at the man, before noticing Harry and Mai coming. "Well, it seems that our tester has brought along a guest," he observed.

Hermione looked over, and smiled. "Harry! I didn't know you were staying with Mai Valentine!"

"Neither did I, at least until just after I left this place," Harry said. "Mai offered me a place to stay."

"We'd met on a cruise ship I was working on," Mai said. She shook Hermione's hand. "He speaks highly of you."

"That's good to hear," Hermione said. "I'm not much of a player, I'm afraid. Oh, I forgot, this is my husband, Dan."

Dan came forward, and shook Harry's hand, and then Mai's. "Good to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from Hermione, Harry," he said. "Some of it unbelievable, but, well, my wife is…"

"A witch? Yeah, I know. Mai's aware of that world," Harry said.

"As am I, Harry-boy," said the other man, turning to face Harry, a smile on his effeminate features. "I have been so remiss, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Maximillian Pegasus, head of Industrial Illusions and the creator of _Duel Monsters_. A pleasure to meet you."

Harry realised, with a chill, that part of the man's hair was covering the left hand side of his face, concealing his left eye. Harry remembered what Shadi had told him, that Pegasus possessed the Millennium Eye. And despite his camp demeanour, there was an appraising nature to his look. And there was something that annoyed him, even as he shook the man's hand. "Just call me Harry. I was called boy by my mentor and my uncle. My mentor I have mixed feelings about, and my uncle was a bastard."

"Fine, if you wish, Harry," Pegasus said. He then clapped a hand on his shoulders, and another on Mai's. "See this?" he said with childlike glee, nodding towards the cubicle. "This is the culmination of a collaboration between Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corp. It's called the Battle Box!"

"…Does it come with air conditioning?" Harry asked. "Only, it looks like a greenhouse without any airholes."

Most of those present laughed. Even Seto smirked. "It's climate controlled," the young billionaire remarked, "though that's the least of the features." He walked over to the Battle Box, and placed a hand on the plastic wall. "I was inspired by my duel with Yugi Muto. He used his powers to cause the images of the monsters to come to life. Well, I already had the idea for such a thing shortly before Pegasus defeated Bandit Keith, but I decided to heavily modify and refine the design, based on my experiences. Already, the Kaiba Corporation hologram technology is at an extremely high resolution level. In fact, we have surpassed the best TVs now, and there are many clamouring for this technology in other areas such as medicine, IT, and the entertainment industry, not to mention the military."

Harry frowned. "So…I'm guessing that, when you play _Duel Monsters_ , you can see the monsters and their attacks?"

"Yes, animated as high resolution CGI. The table conceals a computer terminal, with sensors in the table and the cubicle sensing the type of card it is. It sends information to and from the systems of both Kaiba Corp and Industrial Illusions," Dan said. "It can even be updated to suit rule changes for various tournaments. We had to invent quite a lot of stuff to get it to work."

"Anyway, we needed to test it," Hermione said, "and Kaiba heard that you lived nearby, Mai, so…"

"I'm the guinea pig? To make sure it works?" Mai asked.

"Yes. Just a single game. That's why I'm playing. I'm not much of a player, we're just demonstrating the technology to Pegasus," Hermione said.

"Okay. Well, let's see what you've got, then," Mai said with a smirk.

* * *

As it turned out, Hermione was actually a little better than Harry, or at least played a better game than he did this morning against Mai, using a deck based around the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl. He felt odd when he saw both of those cards. There was something oddly familiar about the two, and he couldn't understand why. Maybe it had something to do with the dream he had earlier this morning.

Hermione still lost, but not from lack of trying or skill. Harry had won this morning more or less out of dumb luck, plus some of his increasing skill at _Duel Monsters_.

Of course, the hologram projection was ridiculously realistic. Kaiba must have poured a ridiculous amount of money into it. But it made the card game somewhat more exciting than just putting cards on the table and declaring moves. Though he had to wonder why the people who animated the monsters put so much… _jiggling_ into the Harpies' breasts. If that had happened in real life, given the sling swimsuits they seemed to wear, they'd have a wardrobe malfunction.

"So," Dan said as the two women shook hands, and left the Battle Box, "what do you think?"

"Pretty snazzy. I'm surprised you can't use this sort of tech for video games."

"There's a reason for that. The animation needs to be processed by stronger computers than most games consoles can manage at the moment. And holoprojectors do use a lot of juice," Dan said. "Part of the reason the Battle Box is air-conditioned is to cool down the holoprojectors."

"It's pretty amazing tech," Harry said. "And you say this has applications outside card games?"

"Of course," Seto said. "What's more, it's relatively portable, in the same way a demountable or portacabin can be moved. All that's needed is a truck and a crane. It can also be built into stadiums."

"I'm already planning to put these into the official _Duel Monsters_ arena in time for the national championships," Pegasus said. "I do believe this was a most successful test, Kaiba-boy."

"Call me Kaiba-boy one more time. Just try it," Seto said coldly. "I'm not your boy, and the way you say it makes me fear for my virtue."

"Don't take it personally, Kaiba. I call a lot of people boy, young and old. Besides, I don't have a thing for teens or younger," Pegasus said flippantly. "Your virtue, and that of Mokuba, is perfectly safe."

Harry knew, judging by the look on both Kaibas' faces, that they were thinking what he was thinking: _That is_ _ **not**_ _reassuring_.

"That was still a very interesting experience," Mai said, putting her deck away. "It has potential for tournaments and the like. It felt like my monsters had come to life. I'd hate to see what some of the demonic or undead creatures look like as holograms. Just make sure it isn't too gory, or there's a setting to change that. There's a lot of pre-teens play this game, as you know. And some of these might give an older person a heart attack."

Harry noticed a brief malicious smirk come over Seto's features, as if to say _That's the idea_ , though only Harry noticed it. "It was still pretty cool," Mokuba said with a smile.

"Then it has the Mokuba Kaiba stamp of approval, doesn't it?" Hermione said, ruffling Mokuba's already messy hair affectionately. Mokuba pouted.

"I think all the Battle Box needs is a few refinements," Dan opined. "Hermione and I will get to work on them."

"Fine, but I think there's one last thing to add to the program," Seto said.

Before anyone could remark on that, Hobson, a hunched-over butler with a massive bald head and sunglasses, shuffled over. "Mr Kaiba, the second delivery has arrived. I thought I would notify you forthwith."

A rather nasty gleam came to Seto's eyes, and he smiled coldly. "Two down…one to go," he muttered. Then, to the others, he said, "Watson, Granger, I want you to begin work on the improvements immediately. Come along, Mokuba. I'm sure you find the Battle Box worthy of further investment, Pegasus."

"But of course, Kaiba. I look forward to the finished product. A pleasure to meet you all. Perhaps we shall meet again soon." Pegasus bowed, and walked away, presumably to a limousine. The Kaiba brothers and Hobson walked away.

Mai shook her head. "You were a better _Duel Monsters_ player than I thought, Hermione. And this new technology is amazing."

"Thanks, Mai. So, how are you enjoying Harry's company?"

Mai smirked. "He seems house-trained."

"You should see Ron Weasley," Hermione said with a wince. "I can't believe I once had a thing for him. You'd lose your appetite watching him eat. He's not bad, but even so…" After a moment, she said, "Are you treating Harry well?"

"Of course. He's a friend, not a fling," Mai said. "Or at least he's someone to talk to with half a brain and able to look at my face when he talks. I think the friend part is getting there, though. And maybe I've got someone else to talk to. You're a good player of _Duel Monsters_ , after all."

"I'm honoured, given that you're one of the best Japanese players," Hermione said. Then, after a moment, she said, "Harry? You know that Pegasus managed to beat Bandit Keith?"

"Yeah, Mai told me that he managed to beat Keith, telling some kid the exact move to defeat him with written instructions. Why?"

"Well…I thought he might have been a wizard, but all records state that he's a Muggle," Hermione said. "Not even a Squib. As far as MACUSA is concerned, he's a No-Maj, albeit one with knowledge of the Wizarding World."

Dan nodded. "Yeah, so he can't use Legilimency, which Hermione told me was what wizards can use to read minds. But what about that freaky eye of his? That gold one?"

Harry felt himself pale. "Did you see it?"

"Only briefly, he seemed to want to keep it concealed behind his hair," Dan said. "But it was like it was made out of gold. It also looked Egyptian. Do you reckon that could have let him read minds?"

Harry scowled at the thought. "I dunno, but I wouldn't be surprised. Just try not to make eye contact with him if you can help it. He might use it for more than just cheating at card games."

"Will do, Harry," Hermione said.

* * *

As they arrived back at Mai's mansion, they found Shadi standing in front of the doors. "Who are you?" Mai demanded. "How did you get in here?"

"Mai, this is Shadi, one of the people I'm working for," Harry said.

Shadi nodded. "Indeed. I gave Yugi a triptych of tests earlier today, ones which he and Shadow passed with flying colours. Their combined willpower and faith in their friends helped them win. I intend to depart for Egypt before long, to help Isis track down Marik, but I have a premonition. As one of the guardians of the Millennium Items, it is not just my duty to protect them from thieves, but to ensure the destined bearers receive them, for good or for ill."

Harry blinked. "What do you mean? And why does that sound ominous?"

"It is," Shadi said with a slight but knowing smile. "After I tested you with the Scales, I began having suspicions. Which is why I intend to test if you are worthy."

"Worthy of what?" Mai asked, with Harry having a sinking feeling.

Shadi held out a familiar, golden ankh-like object. "Of bearing the Millennium Key."

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Wow. What a twist. I'd only really considered having Harry bear a Millennium Item while writing this chapter, as earlier, I had never intended for him to have one. There'll be a reason for that, and the Millennium Key isn't as powerful as the other Items. You have to touch someone's head to enter their mind, after all. It does have invisibility powers according to the wiki (I thought that was Shadi being a ghost). Harry also gains the Millennium Key in sakurademonalchemist's story** ** _Prince of Thieves_** **, though it's more unwillingly on Shadi's part.**

 **Some of you might be wondering why Hermione has a fairly high opinion of Mai, and hasn't basically compared her to Fleur (especially given the way Mai dresses). Well, Hermione knows something about Mai already. She's not fond of the way Mai habitually dresses, but she respects her ability. Of course, if she knew about Mai's Aroma-Tactics, she would be less well-disposed, but she doesn't. Mai didn't use her Aroma-Tactics out of respect for Harry's friend, and during their duel, they actually discussed him, and how Harry came to be living with Mai.**

 **Oh, and the second delivery? Hobson means the second of the three Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards Seto obtains by various nefarious means.**

 **Review-answering time! A lot of you have been praising the decision I made, though one of you didn't like it. I have to say that I thought what Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros suggested was a good idea. The character will make his debut in the next chapter.**

 **foxchick1** **: Harry will help, using the Key, Seto accelerate his recovery. Unlike the manga, where he's in a catatonic state up until the early stages of the Duellist Kingdom, it'll be closer to the anime, where he goes off the work on the Duel Disk system, only to be attacked by Pegasus' hired thugs. While still cold and contemptuous, I intend to make him a better person, especially as Harry and Mai, along with Hermione and Dan, will be keeping an eye on Mokuba, who will go into hiding during Duellist Kingdom.**

 **linkline** **: I'm actually putting it that Atem remembers dribs and drabs of his old life, but not enough to remember his name. He will still be overjoyed to meet Mahad…and someone else.**

 **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: While Harry has his own deck, I am crap at writing battle scenes of many kinds, so the rematch between Kaiba and Yugi will be summarised, save for the climactic moves.**

 **Rotciv557** **: I didn't know that. Thanks. No wonder they call him Slifer the Executive Producer in the Abridged Series. I just thought that some surreal joke LittleKuriboh chucked in.**

 **The Archsage** **: I've only read the manga's first eleven volumes (that is, the seven volumes that would be adapted into** ** _Season Zero_** **, as well as the first four volumes of the Duellist Kingdom arc), as well as a few episodes of the series, and almost all of the Abridged Series to date. I'm most familiar with the manga, so that's what I'm basing it off, with elements of the anime most English-speakers know of.**

 **Thunder Dragon** **: Harry won't be able to use Shadow Magic straight away from his heritage, though he will be able to use the Millennium Key (mostly its stealth capabilities). I think I will save any use of Shadow Magic from his heritage for the end of the Duellist Kingdom arc, and have it become part of the Battle City arc when I get around to it.**

 **Guest** **: Glad to hear it. I'm not that well-versed, but I like to think I'm versed enough. Enough to blend the two franchises well. I don't think the Red Eyes can be fused in the same manner as the Blue-Eyes, but my knowledge of the card game is admittedly limited. It could very well be possible.**

 **KRP** **: Which is why I'm using the manga as more of a basis. It's still OTT at times (but what can you expect from a series where the fate of the world hinges on the outcome of a children's card game?), but it's tolerable. Part of the problem is that the anime, or rather, the second anime series, which is the one we know best, cuts out a lot of the story arcs leading up to the** ** _Duel Monsters_** **story arcs. There's a lot of interesting games involved, and it's pretty dark. I have softened the series up a little, true, to make some characters (Shadi and Mokuba in particular) more reasonable or sympathetic, but I tried to stay true to the darker supernatural side of the original manga, which, while still present in the anime we know, isn't as present. I'm still keeping the Shadow Realm, though. 4Kids hit upon a pretty good concept for that, in my opinion, and it's something I will use for this story. I have the entire first season on DVD anyway, if I needed to refresh my memory. Got it pretty cheap, too.**

 **Dracomancer1** **: I don't think I've been toeing the line. Harry is just an outsider looking at some of the more ridiculous parts of the** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh!_** **series, and commenting on it. Some of the humour (like Joey's overreaction to the mummy) comes directly from the manga. There will be some funny moments, and quite a few references to the Abridged Series, so fair warning.**

 **No numbered annotations for this chapter.**


	9. Chapter 8: Mahad

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **MAHAD**

Harry blinked. "Don't I get a say in this? Only, holding one of these things seems like a sure way to get more weirdos coming after me."

"True, but bearers of Millennium Items are automatically granted some small immunity to Shadow Magic," Shadi said. "Given your task is to help Yugi Muto, it would help immensely. It is also one of the Millennium Items without a malign influence, save for the possibility of corruption from the power it brings."

"And you feel safe discussing all this in front of Mai?" Harry asked.

"If she moves in _Duel Monsters_ circles, it is more than likely that she will encounter a Millennium Item wielder sooner or later. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say," Shadi said. "You seem to have taken a shine to her."

"I'm right here, you know," Mai said.

"Yes, I know. The test you will undergo is a simple one, Harry. I will use the Millennium Key to enter your mind. If you hold onto the Key as I apply it to your head, you can enter your own mind as well."

"Is that possible?" Harry asked. "It's not going to make my brain eat itself, is it?"

Shadi chuckled. "No. Do you trust this woman?"

Harry looked at Mai for a moment, before he said, "She trusted me enough to let me into her home and stay there. I should repay the favour. As long as we aren't going to see anything truly private or embarrassing."

"Very well. Harry, Mai, please hold onto the Key. This will seem strange, so prepare yourselves."

Harry and Mai gently grasped the Key, before Shadi pressed it to Harry's forehead…

* * *

…And suddenly, they were in what seemed like the Great Hall in Hogwarts, albeit with a variety of objects scattered around, seemingly at random. Mai blinked, and peered up at the enchanted ceiling. "Isn't this Hogwarts?"

"It is. A Soul Room is an inner representation of a person's soul," Shadi said. "It frequently appears as a familiar place that feels like home to a person. Here, Harry must associate Hogwarts with his true home. Yugi Muto had two Soul Rooms. The first was a child's playroom, littered with toys, and filled with innocence and joy. There are few so pure-hearted at his age. The other, belonging to Shadow, was more like a labyrinthine tomb from Egypt, with many doors that were trapped. Only one led to the true Soul Room. Professor Yoshimori's Soul Room was like a dark version of his office, filled with Egyptian antiquities and filled with sorrow and regret for his estrangement from his family."

Mai whistled. "Wow. The power of that thing's scary."

"You don't know the half of it," Harry said.

Shadi nodded as he looked around. "If I wished, I could take control of Harry by reshaping his Soul Room. It's somewhat less effective than the Imperius, save that its control is permanent until either I relinquish it myself, or the controlled person touches the Key. The Millennium Rod, however, is a far more effective controlling relic." He then noticed something. "Ah, here we go. This way."

Harry and Mai followed, only to come across a door with the distinctive eye that was on most of the Millennium Items. "I haven't seen that in reality," Harry mused.

"That's because it doesn't exist in reality. This is similar to the door that Yugi had, leading to Shadow's Soul Room," Shadi said. He opened it, and the trio went inside.

The room within was a strange sort of study cum library, albeit filled with papyrus scrolls rather than books. It seemed to be sunset, red light pouring in.

The room was dominated, though, by a man in Egyptian robes and an intense expression. Standing nearby was a teenaged girl. Both had brown skin and dark hair. And both looked familiar. They stared at the intruders. "Mahad…is this your reincarnation?" the girl asked.

"The one with the green eyes is, Mana," Mahad, presumably the man, said.

"Reincarnation?" Harry asked, astonished.

"We will explain in a moment. You are?" Mahad asked Shadi.

"I am Shadi of the Tomb Keepers," Shadi said with a bow. "Current bearer of the Scales and the Key. You were the one whose Ka became the Dark Magician?"

Mahad nodded, and Harry realised that the man's face, if it was paler, would resemble the Dark Magician. "Indeed."

"And my Ka became the Dark Magician Girl!" Mana said with a cheerful smile. Harry could see the resemblance: make her strawberry blonde with blue eyes, and pale-skinned, and she'd be a dead ringer. "I'm Mana, pleased to meet you!"

"I am Mahad," Mahad said, with a nod. "I was the Nameless Pharaoh's friend, and brother in all but blood, as well as one of his priests and court mages. Mana, like the Pharaoh, is my sister in all but blood too."

Harry frowned. "Wait, isn't the Ka the soul? So how are you guys here?"

Mahad nodded again. "A good question, and I know not all the vagaries of the soul and reincarnation. My essence did become the Dark Magician, just as Mana's became that of the Dark Magician Girl, but part of my mortal soul remained outside the Ka Beast I created, as did Mana's, and part of me became you, Harry. Fate itself has a strange sense of humour. Mana was my student and ward, but in her next life, she was my mother."

Harry blinked when he got what he meant. "You got reincarnated as my mother?" he asked Mana. "Lily Potter?"

"Yeah. That's why I'm here. I find it funny that my reincarnation gave birth to the reincarnation of my old teacher and big brother. The ritual I used to protect you, Harry, was actually an Egyptian one, not that I knew it at the time," Mana said with a smile. "We're not exactly whole souls here, just self-aware echoes of our past lives. Lily Potter moved on long ago, but I stayed here with Mahad."

Mahad smiled. "And it is good to see that you are working to keep the Pharaoh and his reincarnation safe, Harry, just as I did in life." His face settled back into its habitually serious expression. "But you must beware the one who bears the Millennium Ring. I was the original bearer, until the Thief King took it from me, along with my life. His malevolent soul resides within it now. Whoever the chosen bearer may be innocent, but the soul within it should not be trusted. His desire for vengeance turned to malice."

"Vengeance?"

"The Millennium Items were created through the darkest of magic. I was disgusted to learn of it, and only the need for the Millennium Items to safeguard Egypt stayed my hand from discarding them," Mahad said. "The residents of the thief village Kul Elna were murdered, their remains rendered and mixed with the gold that became the Millennium Items. The man who did the deed was Akhenaden, the uncle of the Nameless Pharaoh, and a vile and ambitious man."

Harry was, understandably, horrified. "So, why should I use the Key?"

"They are, sadly, a necessary evil, until the spirit of the Nameless Pharaoh can be laid to rest," Shadi said. "Once that is the case, the Items can be finally sealed forever, and the souls of Kul Elna finally laid to rest."

Mahad nodded. "While the Key is not the Ring I bore, you are still worthy of it. Harry, you may be disgusted by using the Key knowing its origins, but try to use it to ensure that, one day, before long, the souls within may be laid to rest. Use it to protect the Pharaoh, so he may gain his rest."

Harry scowled, but had to concede the point. He'd use the Millennium Key, if only because he wanted to ensure that the victims of those killed at Kul Elna to make them would know peace. And that meant keeping Yugi alive.

Mahad then looked over at Mai. "And you…are you ready to stand by Harry, Mai Valentine?"

Mai, after a moment, said, "I'm not averse to adventure. Hell, I probably need something to shake things up in my life. What's life without some risk? Sometimes, you have to play for the highest stakes. And with these things needing to be laid to rest, I guess they're pretty high stakes."

Mahad then smiled again. "Excellent. You are a brave woman, Mai Valentine." He looked around the chamber. "Perhaps it was time you were leaving. If you wish to speak to me again, Harry, along with Mana, all you have to do is concentrate while holding the Millennium Key. The same would go for anyone holding the Key when you do so. It would be good to have someone to talk to. It would be good to speak to the Pharaoh again. Unfortunately, Mana and I do not remember his name, due to circumstances, but we still would like to see him again."

"I'll see what I can do," Harry said. "Yugi's a good kid."

"Well, hope to see them soon!" Mana said cheerfully. "And you too, Harry! Bye!"

* * *

Harry, Mai, and Shadi came back to reality. "Okay, that was surreal," Mai said. "So, was that the test? Checking to see if Harry had reincarnated spirits lurking around inside him?"

"Not exactly, but it suffices as passing the test. It was a final test anyway," Shadi said, removing the Key from around his neck.

"Does Isis know about what went into the Millennium Items?" Harry asked, eyeing the Key with distaste.

"Yes. She was, understandably, horrified. Given that she is, in the absence of her brother, the leader of the Tomb Keepers by default, she intends to take whatever steps she can to lay these cursed artifacts to rest. And so do I, for I will be bound to this world otherwise as a cursed spectre."

After a moment, Harry took the Key from Shadi with a grimace. He half-expected it to tingle, as if electrified, but it was just cold. "Mahad and Mana obviously hated it. A shame the Pharaoh didn't get reincarnated sooner. I swear, I will make sure the Pharaoh gets his rest, along with the dead of Kul Elna."

"Very well. My work in Japan is done for the time being, Harry. The Key is not just useful for entering Soul Rooms and taking control of people. It also allows the bearer to become invisible in ways that even your Invisibility Cloak cannot do." Shadi nodded to them. "I must take my leave. I will contact you if anything turns up. Good evening."

As Shadi turned to leave, Harry said, "Shadi?" As the Egyptian halted, Harry said, "Pegasus has the Millennium Eye, right? What are its abilities?"

Shadi, after a moment, said, "It contains the ability to see the surface thoughts of those the wielder makes eye contact with, along with limited precognition, as well as the ability to see into the afterlife."

"Could Pegasus use it to see opponents' cards in their minds while playing?"

"Yes. It is a form of Legilimency in its own way, and Occlumency can hinder it, though not stop it. It can also, like the Puzzle, call upon a Shadow Game and a Penalty Game. It can even transplant souls from a body to a physical object. The Eye was once possessed by Akhenaden, but his soul does not reside within it. Some malice does remain from him, and from the entity that once possessed him."

"Entity?"

"Remember the name Zorc Necrophades. An entity of evil that makes Voldemort look like a gnat by comparison. I will contact you before long should there be anything else. Good evening."

As Shadi walked off into the late afternoon twilight, Harry remarked, "Well, that's bloody ominous."

"To say the least," Mai concurred. She then tapped the Key, grimacing. "So, we now have an ancient Egyptian artifact made of solid gold mixed in with dead bodies, definitely magical, possibly cursed, very dangerous."

"I know."

Mai, after a moment, shrugged. "Well, like I said, what's life without a little risk? We'll have to keep an eye on Pegasus, though. Using an artifact like that to cheat at _Duel Monsters_ is one thing, but if what Shadi said is true…if it can take souls from people and transplant them…"

"I know. And I've got this vague feeling he's up to something. Then again, Seto Kaiba's the one I'm really worried about. He's up to something too, and he's fixated on Yugi. All I can hope for is that Hermione's able to stop him, before he pisses off Shadow, or worse."

After a moment, Mai put a hand on his shoulder. "Kaiba's not going to listen to anyone but himself, Harry. Come on. Let's worry about that when the time comes…"

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Harry's learned that he is a reincarnation of Mahad (and Mana reincarnated into Lily, which is weird, but hey, that's reincarnation for you), and he's found himself a new purpose, one that Shadi, Isis and Mai will be supporting him on. The idea of Mahad reincarnating as Harry was something Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros thought of, though his soul (what there is left of it) and Harry's soul are different. After all, while Yugi is Atem's reincarnation, Atem's soul is still in the Millennium Puzzle.**

 **The next chapter will finally have the long-awaited confrontation between Kaiba and Yugi. While this story is based heavily on the manga, that chapter will be based more on the anime, at least in terms of setup and trappings. There'll also be a time skip, so that I can have Mai and Harry's relationship progress.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: I don't think any Death Eaters will make an appearance.**

 **No numbered annotations for this chapter.**


	10. Chapter 9: Mind Crush

**CHAPTER 9:**

 **MIND CRUSH**

The next couple of months were spent with Harry visiting Yugi and his friends, along with Hermione, Dan, and the Kaibas. Well, Mokuba, usually. Seto was becoming ever more distant and cold. That being said, Harry grew to like Mokuba, who was a sweet kid, if a little bratty at times, and Harry was surprised to find that he was becoming almost another big brother to the shaggy-haired boy.

Harry was also a bridge between Mokuba, Hermione, Dan, and Yugi's circle of friends. They eventually met, and while it was somewhat tense, given Seto's earlier actions, nothing bad happened, thankfully. Well, save for Yugi, Joey, and Honda drooling over Mai, much to Anzu's chagrin. However, after that rocky start, Anzu and Mai got along a little better: while not as fanatical a player as either Yugi or Mai, Anzu was a decent enough player of _Duel Monsters_. She was certainly better than Joey, who hadn't quite grasped the concept of Spells and Traps.

Mokuba even managed to challenge Yugi to a game of Capsule Monsters. Mokuba, until Hermione talked him down, had considered forcing Yugi into a game as revenge for what happened to his brother. However, the game was considerably more sedate, and Shadow didn't even come out, though Mokuba did meet the spirit within the Millennium Puzzle afterwards. It was one of those games that was a bonding experience between rivals, not the bitter kind of rivalry, filled with rancour and odium, but a rivalry full of a genuine competitiveness and camaraderie.

Yugi also agreed, along with Shadow, to meet the remnants of Mahad and Mana within Harry's Soul Room. The reunion of Shadow with Mahad and Mana was actually quite touching, even if he couldn't remember them clearly, and Mahad and Mana couldn't remember Shadow's true name (they didn't know why, though they thought it was either something to do with Shadow's sealing, or else something Zorc did to Shadow). And Yugi and Shadow were, understandably, horrified at how the Millennium Items were created. As with Harry, they made a solemn vow to ensure the victims of Kul Elna were laid to rest.

As for Harry and Mai? They divided their time between visits to their new circles of friends (especially new for Mai, given her lack of the same), games of _Duel Monsters_ , and, after a couple of weeks, dates. Mai was actually fond of Italian food, her favourite being Penne all'Arrabbiata(1). For a brief three-day holiday, Harry arranged for a Portkey to Italy, which Mai was utterly delighted by.

Mai, as it turned out, was something of a philanthropist. She had so much money, she didn't know what to do with it, so she donated quite heavily to charities dealing with orphans. She was one herself, but she was lucky enough to have her family's monies to fall back on. Seto Kaiba, as it turned out, also contributed, having built orphanages, though lately, his goodwill seemed to have petered out.

Harry's friendship with Mai grew so gradually, he didn't even notice as it became stronger. In fact, it was Mai who took the lead more often than not, who actually kissed him first. It was she who initiated the deepening of the relationship. Considering that she was more self-assured than Harry, it wasn't surprising. She was the one who had initiated the relationship in the first place, by beckoning him over to her table on the cruise ship. She was the one who had invited him to stay with her.

Then, one night, it happened. Harry actually consciously realised he was actually in love with this beautiful, intelligent woman. She was surprisingly compassionate, beneath her heavy cynicism, and she had resolved to stand by him, despite the fact that he was going to get involved in the Millennium Items and their Shadow Games, though that seemed to be partly out of a certain ennui she had with her life.

Mai seemed to recognise this without Harry saying anything. Instead, she invited him to sleep in her bed that night. And, well, one thing led to another.

Oddly enough, it had both been their first time, despite the frequently provocative way Mai dressed. While comfortable with her body and flaunting it, Mai had wanted to save herself for someone who was worth it. Harry felt ambivalent about being considered worth it, but at the end of the night, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they enjoyed themselves, and they had enjoyed themselves quite a bit…

* * *

The next morning, Harry woke to find a very naked Mai sitting on the side of the bed, stretching and yawning. She seemed to notice he was awake, because she turned around to face him, and gave him a sultry smile. "Morning, handsome. Sleep well?"

"Like a log," Harry confessed. "Then again, considering how long we were at it…"

Mai's smile widened. "I guess I chose wisely, given your stamina and technique." Then, the smile came off her face, and she looked away. "I'm guess you're wondering why? I mean, aside from us dating for the last few weeks."

"Sort of," Harry confessed. "I mean, you told me you didn't like those rich men who tried to get into your pants. And I'd hate to think that you thought of our dates and that holiday as bribery."

"Of course not. I know why you did it. You did it to make me feel happy, not to butter me up. I wondered about whether you were, and I'm sorry for thinking that of you, but you kept your distance. I eventually realised that you just needed me to make the first move. You didn't really have that many girlfriends, did you?"

"Quite a few, but, well, Ginny was a fangirl, Cho, well, I was infatuated with her, and Hermione, well…she wasn't a girlfriend as much as a friend who was a girl. By the time I saw her as anything but a sister figure, she was already taken, and I didn't want to ruin her happiness. She's my oldest friend, now that Ron and I aren't on speaking terms," Harry said. "And there's Luna, but she was a bit of an odd platypus."

"Duck, you mean," Mai said.

"Oh no, she's an odd platypus. Believe me, you'd know it if you met her. You ever read _The Quibbler?_ "

Mai frowned. "No, but I've heard of it. It's like one of those tabloids filled with conspiracy theories and the like, isn't it?"

"Yeah. She runs it now that her father's retired, and she's what we would think of as the magical equivalent of a cryptozoologist, though at least some of the unbelievable stuff she talks about is actually real. She's pretty strange, but a better friend you can't find. She married my old friend Neville."

"Ah. Well, my point is, Harry, that you didn't make the first move. Some girls prefer bolder men, but, well…I like my men on my terms, who let me make the decision to become a friend…and a lover," Mai said. "I'm not saying you have to be…oh, what's the term? Hen-pecked? Submissive? This is not going to be all give and no take. It's one of the reasons I agreed to stay by you when we were talking to Mahad. It'll be dangerous, but I won't run, and I enjoy a bit of risk in my life. It's one of the reasons I invited you to stay with me in the first place."

Harry smiled. "Thanks, Mai."

* * *

The problem was, the good morning didn't last into the day. Around midday, Harry and Mai were surprised to find that Hermione was knocking very loudly on their door, along with Dan and Mokuba. "Harry, come quickly!" Hermione demanded.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"It's Seto!" Mokuba said. "He's kidnapped Solomon Muto and is forcing him to duel with the latest Battle Box!"

Harry blinked. "What?"

"And there's worse," Dan said, running a hand through his hair. "Seto's put in a special program into the Battle Box behind our back. We only just learned, he can simulate a Penalty Game, of the sort Shadow did to him. The problem is, in the secret tests Seto did, people were driven mad within minutes, and one even had a heart attack."

Mokuba nodded. "Seto's paid off the head of police, so…"

"Have you told Yugi and the others?" Mai demanded.

"We called them shortly before we came over here," Hermione said. "They're on their way to the Kaiba Corp HQ. I was hoping we'd meet them there via Apparition. Seto's intending to duel Yugi as well, and make an example of him. I managed to get an ambulance on standby, in case something happens to Solomon."

"We'd better get there, then," Harry said grimly. "I'm sorry, Mokuba, but your big brother's gone too far…"

* * *

Harry and the others rushed to Kaiba Corp, Mokuba leading them to the relatively empty stadium area, just in time to see Solomon stagger out of the Battle Box, panting heavily, his face ashen. And stepping rather more casually out of the Battle Box was Seto Kaiba, who was wearing a rather malicious grin. "Well, it seems that I have more spectators than I intended," Seto said.

Hermione scowled as she cast some diagnostic charms on Solomon. "Dammit, he's on the verge of a heart attack." She glared at Seto. "How could you, you heartless bastard?!"

"How could I?" Seto said. "I am your boss, Granger. And the old man needed to learn a lesson: do not refuse Seto Kaiba. It's not my fault if the lesson is a potentially lethal one. It sets an example."

"Not your fault?!" Dan demanded. "You put in that simulated Penalty Game deliberately! The Battle Box was meant to be a gaming machine, not an instrument of torture and murder!"

"Oh, shut up," Seto sneered. "I don't care what lesser minds think. Take the old man to hospital if you need to, but don't bother coming back to work. And don't bother expecting your next paycheque."

"Seto, this isn't like you!" Mokuba protested, as Hermione and Dan opted to take Solomon away.

"Be quiet, Mokuba, the adults are talking," Seto said coldly.

Harry scowled. "You're just a teenager yourself. But then again, you're a vicious, cowardly sort who deliberately inflicted a heart attack on an old man."

"Then do something about it, 'Boy Who Lived'," Seto sneered. "Oh wait, you won't. You haven't got the guts. Or would you rather duel me? I intended to get the old man's Blue-Eyes, but he didn't have it, and we couldn't find it. He let slip that you knew where it was, though. I wonder, how well your one Blue-Eyes would do against the three I managed to obtain?"

"I don't have my deck," Harry said. "And I put up some pretty nasty wards around Mai's home, so anyone who tries to break in while we're gone…"

"Covered your bases, huh?" Seto said. "Well, it's Yugi I wanted. You claim that I have no chance against him? You are wrong! I will beat that alter-ego of his! And I will subject him to a Penalty Game for so long, his brain will ooze out of his ears. And then, I am going to make you give me that Blue-Eyes card. Mokuba, take our…guests to the seating."

Harry, before he let himself be taken away by Mokuba, said, "I warned you about the Shadow Games, Kaiba. You've made your choices, and soon, you'll have to live with the consequences. Because if Yugi doesn't beat you, then I will make sure you don't enjoy your victory."

* * *

As they were led to the seats, Mai asked, "Why didn't you attack him?"

"As much as I'd love to, I think Shadow's going to kick his arse," Harry said. "Any Penalty Game he inflicts will be more than what I can do to Kaiba. And if Shadow does lose, then I am going to make sure Kaiba regrets that. Sorry, Mokuba."

The shaggy-haired boy nodded morosely. "I don't like it…but Seto's been getting worse and worse lately. Yesterday, he even threatened to test the simulated Penalty Game on me," he confessed. "It's like he's not even my big brother anymore. I don't know why. I think something might be influencing him. What's worse is that the Big 5 are making it worse."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"The card game he played against Yugi wasn't official, but Seto's actually the top champion of Japan, and considered a gaming wunderkind, able to beat any challengers. But rumours have already spread that Seto's been beaten by a relative nobody on the _Duel Monsters_ circuit," Mokuba explained. "The Big 5 are worried that the shares will drop, and so put pressure on Seto. I think Pegasus is too."

* * *

They reached their seats in time to see Yugi and the others arrive. After an argument with Seto, Yugi looked over at Harry, who called out, "Your grandfather's on his way to hospital, Yugi, Hermione and Dan took him there! Kick his arse!"

Yugi nodded, before he changed into Shadow. Joey, Anzu, and Honda made their way over to where Harry was, while Yugi was beckoned into a Battle Box by Seto. "What the hell happened?" Joey demanded. "We saw Gramps being loaded into the ambulance, but he told Hermione to give Yugi his deck."

"Seto somehow forced Solomon to play. Given his attitude, he may have threatened Yugi's life," Harry said. "He inflicted a simulated Penalty Game on Solomon. Hermione will make sure he's all right."

"Bastard," Honda spat. "D'you reckon Yugi…well, Shadow will win?"

"I don't know," Mokuba said. "My brother boasted that he had managed to obtain three Blue-Eyes White Dragons. Beating those are going to be tough. I mean, I don't want my brother to lose, but given what he did…"

"I know, Mokuba. He's gone too far this time…" Anzu said sympathetically.

* * *

The duel went back and forth, with Shadow kept on the defensive for most of the game as Kaiba unleashed a blitz attack. Although Shadow managed to get some good hits in, it seemed for a moment that he was on the ropes, Kaiba taunting him all the way…until he managed to draw his trump card.

As it turned out, Shadow had managed to draw most of the pieces of Exodia…and before all was lost, with three Blue-Eyes White Dragons poised to wipe out Shadow's lifepoints…he drew the fifth Exodia card. And to Seto's shock, Exodia was summoned. A massive Egyptian-style monster emerged from a pentagram, grimacing at Seto and his monsters.

"But…this can't be!" Seto yelled. "How the hell could the likes of you manage to have Exodia?!"

Shadow merely glared at him coldly, before saying, "Exodia: Hellstorm Inferno."

The blast of infernal flame disintegrated the Blue-Eyes White Dragons instantly, and Seto screamed in both fear and frustration as his lifepoints dropped to zero instantly. Shadow then peered levelly at Seto. "Do you understand, Seto Kaiba? Your cards were powerful, but sometimes, when the weak unite, they are strong. The power of my Millennium Puzzle is that of unity, like I have with my friends, with my grandfather, with my partner. You told me I had no hope, that miracles cannot happen, but you do not believe in the Heart of the Cards."

"Shut up," Seto snarled. "Your sentiment is sickening! You won, so get on with it!"

Shadow shook his head. "You treated your cards like tools, your employees like trash, and ordinary people with contempt. But your brother needs you, as do your employees. This is your last chance, Kaiba. PENALTY GAME: MIND CRUSH!"

Shadow then flung out a hand, an Egyptian eye symbol glowing on his forehead. Screaming, convulsing, Seto seemed to flare from positive to negative, something within his chest seeming to shatter…before he slumped. Mokuba, closely followed by Harry and the others, ran over to the Battle Box, and opened it up. "Seto!" Mokuba said, shaking the catatonic figure of his brother. "SETO!"

Shadow walked over to Mokuba, and put a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. "He's not dead, Mokuba. Indeed, he'll recover. I shattered his heart, destroying the worst of the evil festering within it," he said quietly to the distraught boy. "He's putting his heart back together, deep within the recesses of his soul. He'll come back to you, Mokuba, I promise. And you'll have the brother you loved back."

"Promise?" Mokuba asked.

Shadow nodded. "I promise you. He's a brilliant player. If only his obsession with winning had not consumed him, destroyed the sentiment in his soul…but that is beside the point. He may not be the most loving of people, but he will be better than he was." Shadow's eyes flicked over to Harry. "Harry, later, use the Millennium Key, see if you can help speed Kaiba's recovery without causing him to regain his malice."

"Okay, Shadow," Harry said.

* * *

They soon made their way to the hospital, to see how Solomon was doing, with Mokuba staying at Kaiba Corp to take charge in place of his brother, who was going to be looked after at home. Mokuba had told them to tell Hermione and Dan that they were keeping their jobs, despite what his brother claimed.

Hermione and Dan had bad news. Solomon was still in surgery, but as he was being rushed in, his condition had worsened. It was a tense few hours, until the surgeon came out. As it turned out, their fears were unfounded. Solomon had not only survived, but come out of surgery as healthy as he could be considering the circumstances.

It could have been worse. Far worse. But all things considered, it was probably the best case scenario. Even then, though, none of them realised this would have far-reaching consequences that would bring Yugi and his friends into greater danger…

 **CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. I'm sorry I didn't write out the duel itself, but frankly, the card games themselves aren't always that thrilling, despite what the manga and anime attempts (maybe that's why they went for the 'card games on motorcycles' gimmick, as they put it in the Abridged Series, for** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's_** **?), and I was running out of space for the chapter, anyway.**

 **The next chapter will have both Harry's attempts to heal Kaiba, and the introduction of Bakura in the chapter after that, though Harry will only be meeting him after the tabletop RPG arc. He won't meet Dark Bakura until during Duellist Kingdom, which will start in the chapter after that.**

 **I hope you liked the bit with Harry and Mai at the start. I wanted to do a time skip to the point where they actually have a relationship.**

 **I think that way too many people whinged and bitched about the reincarnation here. It may be a cliché, but given that the** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh!_** **verse is filled with reincarnations, I feel that making another (and without automatic access to greater powers) is not unreasonable. If you think that this is too much of a cliché for you, then stop reading, preferably without leaving a bitchy review.**

 **EDIT: Just removed a slight mistake about Luna having married Rolf Scamander rather than Neville.**

 **1\. This is actually Mai's favourite food, according to the** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh!_** **Wiki, apparently taken from a character data book.**


	11. Chapter 10: Kisara

**CHAPTER 10:**

 **KISARA**

The next day, Harry was asked to come to the Kaiba mansion by Mokuba, Dan and Hermione, so he did so, Mai in tow. Mokuba seemed worried, and about more than his brother's condition, though he seemed to be fretting a lot about that.

As they walked through the corridors of the Kaiba mansion, Mokuba said, "People underestimate me because I'm a kid, but Seto helped teach me a few things about how to run a corporation, especially if something like this happened. And things aren't looking good."

Harry frowned. "You mentioned something about the Big 5 putting pressure on your brother. Are they up to something?"

Mokuba nodded. "I have Seto's power of attorney, and he managed to get a lawyer to ratify it, despite the fact that we're still both minors. The problem is, the Big 5 had some meeting last night after you left, some sort of teleconference, and they refused to let me attend. I managed to find out this morning that they were contacting Pegasus. Also, the share prices for Kaiba Corp have plummeted due to both Seto's actions and Shadow beating him. Well, people see him as Yugi. The Big 5 are also making moves to try and muscle me out of the executive decision making. A few of them want to return to arms manufacture and dealing like they used to under Gozaburo's regime. Until he got consumed by his obsession with the Mutos and their Blue-Eyes, Seto was creating orphanages and even theme parks for underprivileged kids. But something got twisted inside him, even more than what Gozaburo did. Did you know how he got those cards he used against Yugi? Two of the owners, he hired thugs to beat them up until they agreed to sell the cards at a pittance. The third, he managed to drive into bankruptcy and suicide."

Harry scowled. "A Mind Crush was too good for him."

"Harry!" Hermione said. "Seto Kaiba was twisted out of shape by Gozaburo. I also think that both the Big 5 and Pegasus did something to encourage his obsession with the Mutos and the Blue-Eyes."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"I thought you could help, or at least contact Shadi to help," Hermione said. "Harry, I think the Big 5 will go as far as assassinating the Kaiba brothers to get their own way. Mokuba's in danger the longer Seto remains like this."

Harry frowned, before touching the Millennium Key, which he kept concealed under a Disillusionment Charm. He could probably use that to enter Seto's soul…but should he? Was there any guarantee that Seto wouldn't change for the worse? Dumbledore might have had that hard-on for forgiveness and second chances, but Seto had done some pretty nasty things.

Then again, maybe Mokuba was right. And in any case, the longer Seto remained in a catatonia, the more at risk Mokuba was, as Hermione said. And even Shadow had suggested using the Key to help speed his recovery.

Eventually, he said, "I'll try, but no promises."

* * *

Seto was sitting in a wheelchair, slumped, his mouth open in an imbecilic gape, his eyes staring at some fixed point. Only the rise and fall of his chest, and the occasional blink of his eyes, showed that he was still alive.

"Do you think Shadi will be able to help?" Hermione asked.

"In a roundabout way, yes," Harry said, before fishing out the Millennium Key. "He gave this to me before he left Japan. This allows me to enter someone's mind, in fact, their soul. Shadi tested Yugi and myself with it. I actually have more of a link to this mess than I realised."

"What do you mean?" Mokuba asked.

"Yugi's a reincarnation of a pharaoh whose name has been erased from history. I'm not sure how or why, but regaining that name is vital to Shadow, who is actually the soul of said pharaoh, fulfilling his destiny. Seto looks quite a lot like one of the high priests of the Nameless Pharaoh, his cousin actually. And I discovered that I am a reincarnation of another high priest, Mahad, while my mother, believe it or not, was his protégé, Mana. Both Mahad and Mana's Kas became the essence of the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl respectively. Apparently _Duel Monsters_ is a card game form of one of the most dangerous Shadow Games ever played at that time in Ancient Egypt."

"So, wait. Yugi, Seto, and you are reincarnations of some Egyptians from the time of the Shadow Games?" Hermione asked.

"Apparently. There's a difference between being a reincarnation, and actually having the soul, as Shadow shows. That being said, apparently one Millennium Item we really have to look out for is the Ring: it used to belong to Mahad, but a man known as the Thief King stole it and tried to murder Mahad, forcing him to become the Dark Magician. Anyway, Shadi tested me to see if I was worthy. Apparently I was."

Mai nodded. "It's pretty freaky, but apparently anyone can enter the mind with the bearer of the Key, as long as they're holding onto it."

"Anyway, I'm going to enter his Soul Room. Mokuba, I'd like you to come with me. Seto, if we encounter him, will appreciate a friendly face. I don't know what we can do for him, but we'll do what we can."

Mokuba, after a moment, nodded, grasping the Key with Harry. "Anything for my big brother," he said quietly.

* * *

Harry and Mokuba stumbled as they entered Seto's Soul Room. Harry guessed that the state of the Soul Room was due to the effects of the Mind Crush Shadow had inflicted on him.

It had once been part-boardroom, and part-theme park, but it was now like an asteroid belt in a void, shattered rides and pieces of corporate building orbiting in the void around a central point. In the middle, a Blue-Eyes White Dragon standing sentinel over him, was Seto, albeit as a child of perhaps 10, looking at a shattered crystal that glowed gently.

Harry and Mokuba, thankfully, didn't have to leap from 'asteroid' to 'asteroid' to get to him: they were on the same part of the Soul Room as Seto was. But Harry hesitated, given the massive, elegant dragon standing sentinel. Mokuba had less such qualms, though, and ran up. "Seto!" he yelled.

"Mokuba, wait!" Harry yelled, worried that the dragon would attack, but it merely watched as Mokuba ran over to Seto. It then turned its attention to Harry, and he gulped slightly. He'd faced down at least one dragon in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and dealt with another during the Gringotts mess.

But then, to his surprise, he heard a voice in his head, that of a woman, and a young woman at that. _I will not harm you, as long as you do not harm him_.

Harry blinked. "Are you…speaking to me?"

 _Of course_. The dragon suddenly rippled, shimmered, and shrank, changing shape as it did so, to Mokuba and Harry's amazement. Seto didn't notice, being focused on reassembling his heart. It turned into a young albino woman, in her twenties at most, with silvery-white hair and pale blue eyes, and an eerie beauty, dressed in robes.

"I am his guardian, of sorts," the woman said. "I have been since he has been reborn, but his half-remembered love for me has twisted into obsession."

Harry blinked, before he said, "Your Ka Beast…it's the Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

"Not just the Ka, but the Ka and Ba," the woman said. "But it's near enough." She smiled. "Sorry, I haven't introduced myself. I am Kisara, or at least that was the name given to me."

"You don't look Egyptian," Harry muttered. "Or were you a slave?"

"Yes, though I do not know where I originally came from." Kisara walked over to Seto, and gently put a hand on the boy's shoulders, looking down at him sadly. "You won't be able to talk to him, I'm afraid. The Mind Crush focuses his mind totally and utterly on reassembling his shattered heart. And there will still be vestiges of the darkness that tainted it. What the Pharaoh did was remove the worst of his evil, the evil that drove him to be willing to murder, even if by proxy, and for the most petty of reasons. It is one thing to kill a man if they are a threat to your own life…but to kill a man out of avarice…my love has fallen far in this life, though others gave him a push."

"Others?" Mokuba asked. "Who did it?"

"The man with the Millennium Eye. In my love's past life, it was his father, the uncle of the Nameless Pharaoh. But in this life, it was Maximillian Pegasus. I don't know why, but he used the Eye's power to influence Seto, by reading his mind, and then dripping poisonous words in his ear. Of course, his father in this life did a lot of damage, twisting my love out of shape, and turning his love for me into an obsession, an obsession that nearly killed Solomon Muto, and destroyed the lives of others." Kisara closed her eyes. "But believe me, he is far from irredeemable. What the Pharaoh did was the best case scenario."

"But the vultures are circling, Kisara," Harry said. "The Big 5 and Pegasus may be looking to take Seto and Mokuba out of the picture. I came in here to help see if I could accelerate Seto's recovery, hopefully without him reverting."

Kisara, after a moment, nodded in acknowledgement. "May I?" she asked, indicating the Key. Harry, after a moment, handed it over to the albino woman, who nodded, and handed it back after examining it. "You don't know all the powers of the Key, do you? The Key and the Rod were the most supreme at mental manipulation, though the Rod was a better offensive weapon. You can control elements of the Soul Room, depending on the resistance of the one whom you have entered. I don't know much about it myself…but perhaps you can change the flow of time in here?"

Harry blinked. He hadn't even considered that possibility, or at least didn't know whether the Key had that function. He probed the Key with his magic, and found something that may suffice. After a moment, he held the Key up to Seto, and pressed it onto his head. Then, words came into his head, though whether they were truly part of the Key, or something he was making up, he didn't know. "Mind Game: Accel World. Let time in Seto Kaiba's Soul Room be swifter within than without until he has finished reassembling his heart," he intoned.

Something happened. Seto certainly blinked briefly, and an intense blue light seemed to shine through the void surrounding them. Kisara blinked. "Well, I think that may have done something. Maybe you'll get your brother back sooner than you thought."

"I hope so. But thanks, Kisara," Mokuba said.

"Don't worry," Kisara said. "From now on, I will be watching over him from the cards. Ill-gotten though they are, he will need them soon, if only to face Pegasus, and the troubles yet to come. Seto's destiny is inextricably entwined with Yugi's and Shadow's." She looked at Harry. "Help him, please? For my sake and Mokuba's, if not for his."

"Fine," Harry said. "Mokuba?"

The shaggy-haired boy nodded, before saying, "Thank you, Miss Kisara, for looking after my brother."

"Just Kisara will be fine, Mokuba," Kisara said with a smile, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "I've always wanted a little brother."

Harry chuckled at Mokuba swatting Kisara's hand away irritably. "Mokuba, let's go. Goodbye, Kisara. Hopefully, we'll meet again…"

* * *

"Okay, the good news is that Seto might recover sooner, not to mention he's got his own guardian in his head," Harry said after they emerged. "She's apparently the person the Blue-Eyes is the Ka Beast of. The bad news is, we still don't know how long it'll take for him to recover. Hopefully, it won't be long."

"I hope not," Dan said. "The longer he's out of action, the more leeway the Big 5 have, and the more opportunity they have to try something. Pegasus has ordered a number of the Battle Boxes as well. I heard rumours from some of my colleagues, that he's planning some big tournament after the Japanese finals in a month or so, on an island he owns in the Pacific."

"The question is, what's he up to, then?" Mai mused. "And what does he actually gain by manipulating Seto Kaiba? I mean, controlling Kaiba Corp is a pretty big incentive, but with this Shadow Magic involved, do you think there's something else?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Mai," Hermione said. "This situation is complicated enough."

"Hermione, do you know the Fidelius?" She nodded. "Portkey creation?"

"Of course. Why?"

"If something does happen, you might need to use those. We'll need to have you, Dan, and the Kaibas protected against anything Pegasus and the Big 5 cook up. If we're lucky, the Fidelius can't be broken by Shadow Magic."

"If we're lucky," Hermione said. "You told me that the Millennium Eye can look into the mind, and while the Fidelius isn't affected by Legilimency, it doesn't mean Shadow Magic may not be able to get the secret from the Secret Keeper. What I read about Shadow Magic suggests that it's very different to what we know."

"We'll just to hope that's not the case," Harry said.

* * *

In the end, they arranged for the Kaibas, as well as Hermione and Dan, to hide in the Kujaku Mansion if something happened. They would take a Portkey, and Harry would cast the Fidelius, with Mai as Secret Keeper, so that the Kujaku Mansion would be their hideout. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to use it. But something told Harry otherwise…

 **CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Harry's accelerated Kaiba's recovery (okay, I'm sure many of you are calling bullshit, but the Key has immense powers over the mind already, so controlling the flow of mental time is a plausible ability), and has met Kisara. If Kisara seems OOC compared to her characterisation in her actual arc, chalk it down to her changing in nature after dying and becoming the essence of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. I hope I got the essence of her right…**

 **Anyway, there'll be another timeskip, to Seto's awakening…and Bakura's debut.**

 **Review-answering time!** **KRP** **: That came about wholly by accident. I meant it as a request rather than as a command from an imperious pharaoh.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	12. Chapter 11: Reunion and Ring

**CHAPTER 11:**

 **REUNION AND RING**

As it happened, it was another week before Seto recovered, a week fraught with tension, as Mokuba, Hermione, and Dan waited for the Big 5 to make their move. As it was, it seemed that the Big 5 and Pegasus had believed that Seto wouldn't recover, and were content to wait before making a decisive move. Mokuba, Dan, and Hermione managed to learn why through a few eavesdropping spells: Pegasus was intending to hold that new tournament before long (where Dan had heard it taking place in a month, it was now taking place in a couple of weeks, making it three weeks from when he had first heard about it), and the Big 5 had strongly suggested that Pegasus have Yugi beaten in a public tournament to show he was the best possible CEO for Kaiba Corp.

It was to be called Duellist Kingdom, and there were going to be invites to the top _Duel Monsters_ players, including Yugi and Mai. Harry sent a warning to Yugi, just in case. While they couldn't be certain that Pegasus had bad designs on Yugi beyond beating him in a card tournament, the plots between the Big 5 and Pegasus left them all ill at ease.

So too did possible signs of Penalty Games: shortly after a new student arrived at Yugi's school, a couple of people ended up in comas, including a particularly nasty gym teacher. The only reason why Yugi mentioned it to Harry was because the gym teacher had threatened the new student, a rather quiet boy by the name of Ryo Bakura, who was fond of a type of tabletop RPG boardgame called Monster World.

On the eighth day of Seto's catatonia, though, he recovered, with Hermione calling Harry as soon as possible. Harry and Mai made their way over and were escorted through the mansion, to find Seto drawing blueprints in his workshop, his brother looking on. "…prevent him from doing this by keeping my distance, and not making direct eye contact," he was muttering. He then realised he had company, and then turned to see Harry and the others come in. Harry realised that there was a subtle change in Kaiba's demeanour. While the arrogance and disdain was still there, it was far less than before, and he gave them a curt nod. "Potter," he said, before returning to his work. "Mokuba tells me I have you to thank for my accelerated recovery."

"Yes. I did it more for Mokuba than for you. You've got the sharks in the water, they've smelled blood, and I don't want to see Mokuba get hurt."

Seto grunted. "I doubt the Big 5 or Pegasus will stop their plans with me conscious," he said as he drew on the blueprint. "I will have a rematch with Yugi, or rather, Shadow, sooner rather than later, but the Big 5 and Pegasus' plans for my company are of greater concern, so I need to find a way around it." He tapped the blueprint, showing what looked like a massive yo-yo attached to a bracer. "With the Battle Box system a success, I'm working on something more portable, and I have the feeling I will need it if I have to face off against Pegasus. Hermione told me of what you learned about Pegasus and that damned Millennium Eye. I need to find a way to countermand that."

"Maybe some Occlumency might help?" Harry suggested. "Even those without magic can do the exercises. It's basically meditation and mnemonic techniques to order the mind better." When Seto looked askance at him, Harry said, "Look, it's better than how Snape taught me. He basically taught me by raping my mind and expecting me to defend myself."

Seto snorted, before returning to his blueprint. "I'll consider it, if it gives me an advantage. Incidentally, Mokuba said that he saw a girl in my head, a girl who claimed to be the spirit of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

"It's complicated. _Duel Monsters_ is basically derived from one of the Shadow Games of Ancient Egypt. They used their spirits to fight using monsters, many of which Pegasus turned into the cards. Kisara claimed that she was the spirit of the woman who became the Blue-Eyes. The thing is, Kaiba, you and I and Yugi are all reincarnations from that time. I know it's hard to believe, and frankly, I don't like the destiny bullshit any more than you would, having been there, done that, and bought the damned T-shirt. The problem is, we're going to have a lot of weirdos crawling out of the woodwork who do believe in it, and they'll target Yugi, and they may target you and Mokuba."

Seto, who had been on the verge of sneering, conceded the point. "Some people will believe anything." His features softened. "And thank you for preparing a safe spot for Mokuba. Before…Shadow did whatever he did to me…I felt contempt towards him. I've never felt that way towards Mokuba before. Annoyed, yes, but contemptuous…and I can think more clearly now." Seto drew a final line on the blueprint, before rolling it up. "Maybe Gozaburo twisted me more out of shape than I realised." He then turned to Harry, and jabbed at him with the blueprint. "Let me make this clear, Potter. I know you don't like me, and the feeling is mutual. But I am willing to trust you with Mokuba's safety, given how Hermione speaks highly of you. If the time comes to shield him from Pegasus and the Big 5, then I expect you to do so, and ensure his safety. If you betray me, then believe me, I will make a Penalty Game, simulated or otherwise, look desirable by comparison. Am I clear?"

"Crystal. But keep this in mind, Kaiba. Go after Yugi, his friends and family like you did again, and you'll get the same fate. You were lucky to survive two Penalty Games. Don't make it a hat-trick. You don't mess around with Shadow Magic if you can help it."

* * *

The next day, Harry got an urgent call from Yugi. He was bringing Bakura over, and said he had a Millennium Item. Harry felt a strong sense of dread when he learned that.

Yugi arrived with Bakura in tow, as well as Joey, Anzu, and Honda. Bakura was an androgynous-looking boy who seemed to have albinistic features, and a British accent (his mother was British). However, Harry realised that, if he was more ruthless-looking and had tanned skin and a scar, he'd be a dead ringer for the Thief King he saw in Mahad's memories.

"Harry, this is Ryo Bakura. Bakura, this is Harry Potter," Yugi introduced them.

"Good morning," Bakura said politely. He certainly seemed innocent, compared to the Thief King of Mahad's memories.

Harry shook his hand, and tried to smile reassuringly. "Morning. Yugi tells me you have a Millennium Item?"

"Yes," Bakura said, looking rather morose. "Can…can we discuss this inside?"

"Sure…"

* * *

Mai blinked after Bakura and the others finished their explanation. "So, let me get this straight. Bakura's got another Millennium Item, the Millennium Ring, and like Yugi's Puzzle, it's got a spirit inside. Only, this one's a nasty piece of work, taking people's souls and binding them into tabletop RPG figurines. And it turned a game of Monster World into a Shadow Game which you only just survived?"

Bakura nodded, toying with the Ring in his hands. It looked like a dreamcatcher, with a quintet of vicious spikes dangling from it. It wasn't the sort of ring one wore on a finger as much as one that was like a necklace. "The spirit only spoke to me for the first time before he used me to put the PE teacher Mr Karita into a figurine. He called me 'Landlord', and what he did to those people as paying his rent. He described himself as a tomb robber."

"That's hardly surprising. I think he's the soul of a man known as the Thief King, from the time Shadow exists," Harry said. "You do know about Shadow, Bakura?"

Bakura nodded. "Yugi explained it to me afterwards. He's the spirit of a Pharaoh from centuries ago inside the Puzzle. Have I got something similar?"

"Yes, only this soul seems a lot less benign from what you said," Harry said. "You haven't got any compulsion to put it on or anything?"

"No. My father bought it in an antiques shop in Egypt. He's an archaeologist, you see. I don't think anything has happened when I wasn't wearing it. But when I did wear it, it dug the spikes into me at one point to stop me from removing it," Bakura said.

"Remember how you told us that Shadi mentioned something called Zorc Necrophades, Harry?" Anzu said. "Zorc was the name of that enemy boss in the Monster World game. That can't be coincidence."

"He kept cheating the dice rolls too," Joey said with a scowl.

"I think that, like Yugi is the reincarnation of the Nameless Pharaoh and I am the reincarnation of Mahad, you are a reincarnation of the Thief King, Bakura," Harry said. "It doesn't mean you are like him: you're very different to how Mahad's memories show him. It's more of a physical rather than metaphysical reincarnation. Just don't put on the Ring if you can help it."

"Okay."

Anzu was frowning. "Harry, how many Millennium Items are there out there?"

"Seven. The Tauk is in the possession of Isis Ishtar, and the Scales are in the possession of Shadi, and both are affiliated with the Tomb Keepers. Isis' younger brother, a renegade Tomb Keeper about your age called Marik Ishtar, possesses the Millennium Rod, and heads up a group of tomb raiders known as the Ghouls. I also heard they steal rare cards. I possess the Key, which used to be Shadi's. Yugi possesses the Puzzle, and Bakura, as we know now, possesses the Ring. Pegasus possesses the Millennium Eye. Now, this last one is something you guys need to keep an eye out for. Pegasus is rumoured to be setting up a new _Duel Monsters_ tournament on an island in the Pacific. Keep in mind that one of the Millennium Eye's abilities is to be able to scan the mind of a person, or at least their surface thoughts, and while he may not use it in the tournament, he did use it against Bandit Keith. Therefore, I'd suggest that you study some Occlumency, Yugi. Same with Shadow. The problem is, some Millennium Items, according to Shadi, can make Shadow Games even more dangerous by drawing them into the Shadow Realm."

"The Shadow Realm?" Bakura asked.

"A dark dimension, filled with magic, and inhospitable to most," Harry said. "In the full grip of the Shadow Realm, normal people have their life sapped. It's where many of the monsters in Duel Monsters come from. Not Hell, but a sort of Limbo. I don't think any Shadow Games you've played have taken place in it yet, though. But some of the ancient Shadow Games have been known to banish the loser to the Shadow Realm as a form of Penalty Game. In some cases, that makes death look welcome by comparison."

"Charming," Anzu remarked.

"I agree. It sounds like a wonderful vacation spot(1)," Mai remarked. "Harry, you mentioned the Ghouls. I know that they steal rare _Duel Monsters_ cards too, calling themselves Rare Hunters. Do you think they'd turn up at Pegasus' tournament?"

"Maybe. But the last I heard from Isis, the Ghouls are mostly in Egypt and the Middle East, ransacking archaeological digs," Harry said. "Marik's running circles around the Tomb Keepers. I think Isis wants to set a trap for him here in Domino, but she's waiting for the right moment, preferably once Yugi and Shadow are more confident with their powers and abilities, though she may need to move up her timetable if Marik learns of Yugi having solved the Millennium Puzzle. Marik has forced a number of his victims to undergo Shadow Games, and forced Penalty Games on them when they lost, and many of them were innocent people. And the Millennium Rod is a pretty potent means of mind control."

"Any actual _good_ news?" Honda asked sardonically.

"Probably not," Harry said. "I'm telling you guys all this because you're Yugi's friends, and you've all had experience with Shadow Magic. Given what Pegasus is planning with Duellist Kingdom, he will probably target Yugi. My friends at Kaiba Corp state that the Big 5 want Pegasus to beat Yugi in order to show he is better than Seto Kaiba, but they'll be targeting the brothers too. And if they target Yugi, they may target you all. Pegasus may even try to obtain a hostage to force Yugi to participate at Duellist Kingdom, either physically, or via Shadow Magic. I'd bet the latter, myself, as it'd be harder to get the police in otherwise. Just come to me if something bad happens, okay?"

The group of teenagers all nodded their heads in acknowledgement.

* * *

As they left, Joey lingered behind, looking uncomfortable. "Joey, what do you want?" Harry asked.

The teenager eventually seemed to resolve his inner debate, before he said, "Did Yugi ever tell you anything about my family? I mean, not that he knows much."

"No. Why do you ask?"

Joey, after a moment, sighed, before he said, "I've got a sister, Shizuka. I nicknamed her 'Serenity' in English, because her name can mean quiet and calm(2). Anyway, my parents got divorced six years ago, and my mother took Serenity with her to the US, and I was left with my father." Joey scowled a bit at the thought of his father. Clearly his father wasn't someone he liked. "Anyway, my sister's had pretty bad eyesight from an early age, but she was recently diagnosed with a degenerative condition. Problem is, the operation's not only expensive as hell, but there's only a 50-50 chance of her regaining her sight. But Yugi and his gramps told me that you were a wizard, right?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded thoughtfully. "You think the wizards may have a treatment of some kind?"

"Yeah, like a potion or something. I don't like asking for help, begging for charity and crap, but Serenity's the world to me. I tried going on some gameshow recently before that whole business with Bakura, but the quiz was a scam, and the TV studio went bankrupt before I could get the prize money," Joey said. "Harry, I just want to know, is there a potion or something that can make sure Serenity doesn't go blind?"

"It depends on the disease, but I guess it's worth a shot. I'm no Healer, but I know a few, and I know how to cast Diagnostic Charms. Is she in the US at the moment?"

"Actually, my mother and Serenity came back to Japan a few months ago. But they're living quite a way away from us. I sometimes go to visit, but I have to keep it quiet from my old man: he'll pitch a fit otherwise, and while my mother has an injunction against him, he doesn't care. Look, I'm puttin' a lot of trust in you, and I don't like begging for charity, Harry, but I'm desperate. I love my sister, and I don't want her going blind."

After a moment, Harry nodded. "Okay, I'll see what I can do. I can't promise anything: believe it or not, magic can't cure all diseases, and certainly not all eye conditions, or else I would have ditched these glasses years ago. But if there's a cure for it, I'll happily pay for it."

"Thanks, Harry. If you can help Serenity, I'll owe you one, big time," Joey said.

Harry nodded again. It must have taken Joey quite a bit to pluck up his courage, or swallow his pride, enough to ask him this. He couldn't guarantee that he could cure Serenity, but he'd certainly try to help…

 **CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Seto's awake and Bakura has been introduced. Now, I originally intended for the Duellist Kingdom arc to start in earnest in the next chapter, but I decided to bring in the Shizuka/Serenity subplot early, so much of the next chapter will be Harry and Mai meeting Serenity, and Harry finding out that her condition does have a cure via potion…**

 **Review-answering time!** **Crazily Insane One** **: Actually, I haven't watched** ** _Accel World_** **. The name was a deliberate reference to the title of the series, but I haven't watched it. Nor do I intend to for the foreseeable future.**

 **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: Hmm, good point. It does allow Shadi to be stealthy in the manga, but unlocking doors? Hmm, I dunno…**

 **1\. In episode 58 of** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series_** **, Melvin (the Abridged version of Dark Marik) reads from a faked postcard, supposedly written by Mai from the Shadow Realm, in order to taunt Joey.**

 **2\. In Japanese, Shizuka means calm or quiet, and, depending on the kanji used, can mean other things. Shizuka's name is spelt with the symbols for 'calm/quiet' and 'fragrance'. I decided that Serenity was a nickname Joey gave to her, and it stuck. I have to admit, this was actually one of the better name choices 4Kids made, as it's similar to the name in Japanese.**


	13. Chapter 12: A Diagnosis, An Invitation,

**CHAPTER 12:**

 **A DIAGNOSIS, AN INVITATION, AND AN ARC**

It was a couple of days later that Harry and Mai went to visit Serenity. Joey had given them the contact details of his mother and sister, and they seemed startled to be contacted out of the blue by an associate of Joey's. But they agreed to a meeting later when Harry said he had some small alternative treatments.

Joey's mother had reverted to her maiden name of Kawai, which was why, when she answered the door, Harry asked, "Miss Kawai?"

"Ah, yes, you must be the young man who rang, Mr Potter, was it?" she asked in English. The brown-haired woman looked somewhat careworn. Joey had hinted that his father was a violent man, given that this woman had an injunction against her former husband. There was something about her that reminded Harry of the better, more maternal qualities of Molly Weasley.

"Yes, please call me Harry. This is Mai Valentine," he said, indicating Mai.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Kawai," Mai said with a smile.

They were soon led into the living room, where a pretty, brown-haired girl of perhaps 14 years of age was seated, reading a book with glasses on(1). She looked up when they arrived. "Mother, is this Mr Potter?"

"Indeed," Harry said. "You must be Shizuka…or would you prefer Serenity?"

The girl shrugged. "I don't mind either way. A lot of my friends when we lived in the US called me Serenity."

"Your English is very good," Harry remarked. "Both of you. Now, Joey sent me. He heard that I have…connections that might be able to gain alternative treatments. However, these treatments are to be done in the utmost secrecy."

Miss Kawai frowned. "Are you with the Yakuza or a gang? This isn't something illegal?"

Mai snorted. "Hell, no. Look, it's secret not because it's illegal, but because it involves confidential information."

Harry nodded, and took out his wand. "To put it bluntly, I am a wizard." He pointed the wand at the coffee table, and changed it into a pig.

Serenity and her mother, understandably, stared at that. After a moment, Harry changed it back, and then levitated it. "I think you broke them, Harry," Mai remarked in amusement, as the mother and daughter pair gaped.

"That tends to happen," Harry said facetiously. He then lowered the table gently, and became more serious. "I wouldn't do that lightly in front of those who can't do magic, which we call Muggles in Britain. I'm not sure what the Japanese call Muggles, but the Americans call them No-Majs, for 'no magic'. But there is considerable secrecy around the existence of wizards and witches. I'm sure you have heard of the witch hunts of Europe and America."

Miss Kawai and Serenity still gaped, before the former shook her head, as if clearing herself of the shock. "Sorry, it's just…magic is real? You can understand how this is somewhat…well, astonishing."

"Yeah, I know," Harry said. "Technically, I broke a lot of laws showing this to you, but my name holds a bit of sway in the magical communities, and I'd be able to get away with it as long as you keep quiet. There's some maladies that can be cured fairly easily by magic, and Joey wanted to know whether Serenity's eye condition is one of them."

"Joey knows you can do magic?" Serenity asked.

"Has done for a while," Harry said. "I'm keeping an eye on one of his friends, Yugi Muto, for reasons I can't go into for the moment. But he told me about the illness, and he asked if I could do anything. I also decided, if it isn't curable by magic, I would contribute some of the cost of the operation."

The Kawais stared in shock. "You would do that?" Miss Kawai asked.

"I inherited quite some money from my father," Harry said. "I don't really need most of it. But I thought that, if you could find a cheaper solution with a higher chance of working…"

Miss Kawai looked at Harry somewhat sceptically. After a moment, she said, "I'll let you try. But if you get the hopes of me and my daughter up for nothing…"

"Look, I can't guarantee a solution," Harry said. "I'm just trying to help."

"Mom, let him…do whatever he needs to do, okay?" Serenity asked.

After Miss Kawai nodded, Harry began casting some Diagnostic Charms. When it came up with a disease, he frowned, and checked in a book he had brought with him. After a moment, he said, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the condition you have IS treatable by magic potion, and significantly cheaper than the operation. The bad news is, I need to get a Potions Master to brew this potion. Preferably one who doesn't have a grudge against me. Or greasy hair."

Miss Kawai blinked. "What does the greasy hair have to do with anything?"

"Just be thankful you never had the dubious privilege of knowing Severus Snape," Harry said, putting his wand away. "Imagine someone who was a former terrorist with a grudge against my father and a really creepy thing for my mother, who was in a position to teach children, but wasn't a good teacher. Brilliant Potions Master, but bad teacher. Keep in mind that magic can't always heal conditions. In fact, sometimes, the Muggle way is better. But I'm doing this for Joey. Given the alternative is an expensive operation with an uncertain chance of success…"

"If you can cure this, we would be in your debt," Miss Kawai said.

"It's fine," Harry said. "Like I said, I'm doing this for Joey."

* * *

They soon found a Potions Master, one who was considerably more amiable than Snape, not that such a thing would be difficult to do. She went by the pseudonym of Tsunade, after the slug summoner from the tale of Jiraiya, the Gallant Toad Sage(2). She agreed to brew the potion, even when learning it would be for a Muggle. Just having Harry Potter ask for her custom was enough, though Harry paid her well.

After heading back to Mai's home, they soon found a package left there, a parcel left there from Industrial Illusions. The pair of them tensed, before they opened it. A strange glove with an attached bracer was within. Said bracer had ten star-shaped indentations, and a pair of metal stars fit into these indentations. A DVD, and a number of custom Duel Monsters cards were also in the parcel.

They took the DVD into the living room, with Mai sliding the gold-edged disc into the player. After it started playing, an image of Maximillian Pegasus appeared. " _Well, hello there!_ " he said cheerfully in his camp tones. " _It's nice to see you two again! Mai Valentine, and Harry Potter! This is a video letter, a golden ticket as it were inviting you to my new tournament coming up in a couple of weeks, after the Japanese National Finals! It's called the Duellist Kingdom, and acts to crown the next Duellist Monarch. Obviously, the invitation as far as a Duellist is concerned is purely for Miss Valentine, but she can certainly bring a plus one, in the form of Mr Potter!_ "

Harry could hear Mahad speaking from within him. _Harry, this is no ordinary recording. He is using Shadow Magic to use it as a communications medium_.

"And why do you want me at the Duellist Kingdom?" Harry asked.

"It's just a recording, Harry, he can't hear you," Mai said.

"Au contraire, _Miss Valentine_ ," Pegasus said, " _I can. Mr Potter figured it out. This DVD, imbued with Shadow Magic, effectively allows me to communicate with you both. I could even play a game of_ Duel Monsters _via this DVD_."

"Because you have the Millennium Eye," Harry said.

" _Oh? You know about my little trinket, then?_ " Pegasus brushed aside the locks obscuring his left eye, revealing the Millennium Eye, surrounded by angry-looking veins. " _Well, let's get down to business. While much of this I will explain when you reach the Duellist Kingdom island, I guess I could tell you a few things in advance. The glove you have in the box is a Duel Glove. The Star Chips are, effectively, your life. Each time you play, you must stake at least one Star Chip. Should you lose them all, you will forfeit the right to be on the island, and you will be sent home. You'll require ten Star Chips after a forty-eight hour period in order to advance to the final rounds. Should you not have acquired that many, Miss Valentine, you and Mr Potter will have to leave the island. Or, I suppose you can stay and be cheerleaders to whatever finalist takes your fancy. I'm certainly sending Yugi-boy an invite. I sent three cards with those items._ "

Mai plucked them out. One of them showed a cruise liner in the night, and a time and date, as well as a dock number at the Domino City's harbour. "This is the cruise to the Duellist Kingdom, right?" she said, holding up that card.

" _Of course. The other two are representations of your prizes. The Honour of the King's Right Hand, for example, represents the prize money, of US $200,000. The Honour of the King's Left Hand is a surprise prize_ ," Pegasus said. " _Of course, all of that, you will learn upon reaching Duellist Kingdom. But, here's a few naughty little hints in advance. There'll be special players hired by me to eliminate unskilled players. They are called 'Player Killers', in a reference to online RPGs. I'm placing new rules for_ Duel Monsters _for Duellist Kingdom, namely rules of terrain. Take, for example, your Harpy Deck, Miss Valentine. They would gain an advantage on mountainous terrain. 'Insector' Haga's Insect Deck would gain an advantage in forest terrain. So many fun variations, based on the location of the Battle Boxes on the island!_ "

"You are so obsessed with his game," Harry muttered.

" _I created it, more or less, so I'm entitled to be. Then again, if you're aware of Shadow Magic, Mr Potter, you may know about the origin of_ Duel Monsters."

"More than you know. You took a deadly dangerous magic battle, and turned it into a children's card game. I know where…and who you got that Millennium Eye from. I'm warning you now, Pegasus, I've been tasked with safeguarding Yugi Muto and those associated with him. Meddle with him…and you're going to have a bad time."

* * *

In a sundrenched corridor, a battle was taking place, between a squat skeleton wearing a blue hoodie, and an androgynous child in a blue, dust-covered sweater with a purple stripe, wielding a knife. As the child was pressed to the ground through extreme gravity, the skeleton, who had summoned up a bestial-looking skull, sneezed twice. At the same time, the bestial-looking skull, like that of a dragon, belched a beam of energy, disintegrating the child.

Sans the Skeleton blinked, and then rubbed his nose hole. "Huh…either I've got an allergy to all that monster dust that little psycho's been tracking in, or someone's talking about me behind my back…"

* * *

Pegasus waggled his eyebrows. " _Ooh, I am looking forward to it. See you at Duellist Kingdom! Toodles!_ " And with a cheery farewell wave of a hand, the screen went blank.

Mai blinked. "I knew he was camp…but did he really just say goodbye with 'toodles'?"

"Yes. Yes, he did," Harry said blankly.

Mai ran a hand through her hair. "And yet, I heard that he was actually engaged once at a young age. His father was a gambling mogul, a hot shot managing casinos in Vegas. And one of his fellow casino owners had a daughter called Cyndia. The two apparently hit it off from an early age, but before they were married, Cyndia died of a terminal disease. I don't know the details, though."

"…Still as camp as a row of tents," Harry muttered. "And given what we learned from Kisara, not to mention Mokuba, he's very much a danger."

"Hmm. Still, I'm not going to refuse. I never back down from a challenge."

"Yeah, neither do I," Harry said, touching the Millennium Key. "And if Pegasus does try something…he will regret it…"

* * *

Hermione blinked when she saw what her husband was showing her on the computer screen. "What exactly am I looking at here?" she asked, as Mokuba looked on. The absent Seto was preparing to go into seclusion to work on the Duel Disk System.

Dan ran a hand through his hair. "Well, that's the weirdest thing. Seto had me looking through the systems, tightening up any backdoors Pegasus or the Big 5 could use to take control. There was a pretty big one coming from Alcatraz."

"Alcatraz," Hermione mused. It was the nickname given to an island once used by Gozaburo to test his military technology, so-called because a posting there was like a prison sentence. Seto had demolished most of the military facilities there, though he hinted he might build a duel arena there. "Are there computer facilities there?"

"Probably," Dan remarked. "I heard Gozaburo did a lot of work in cyberwarfare, hacking and the like. In fact, I heard rumours he had a rather powerful hacker do industrial espionage and sabotage via the internet, which given the rather early stage of the internet at the time, was impressive. And then, there's this requisition order." He slapped down a folder, which Hermione picked up.

"Project ARC?" Mokuba asked as he peered at the label on the folder. "Artificial Reality Construct?"

Hermione, as she read through the file, frowned. "Dan…while there's a lot of computer tech listed here, there's also a lot of medical equipment."

"I know. My field's more IT and engineering than medicine, but I thought you, being the near-Ravenclaw, would be able to guess something," Dan said.

"I know, but what I'm seeing is disturbing. Medical grade perfluorocarbon, that's breathing liquid, plus a ventilator for use with that. And these are neurosurgical tools. All these requisition items paint a disturbing picture. If I didn't know any better…I'd say Gozaburo was trying to connect a human mind to a computer, while keeping the body on life support," Hermione said.

Mokuba frowned. "But who would that be?"

"Maybe that's Gozaburo's mystery hacker," Dan muttered. "Sounds like something out of a science fiction film, but my wife's a witch, her oldest friend's infamous for defeating a warlock terrorist, and we have to deal with Egyptian artifacts that can inflict horrible curses on people. Right now, I'd believe in some poor sap Gozaburo hooked up to a computer doing industrial espionage for him. Probably jumping to conclusions, but…well, when I started my investigation into that backdoor connected to the Alcatraz systems…I got a weird message."

"Which was what?"

" _Do you really exist? Are you real?_ That's what it read. And when I asked, _What do you think?_ , well…the acronym LOL came up, along with a digitised sound bite of someone laughing," Dan said, looking disturbed.

Hermione and Mokuba frowned. "Who could it be?"

"I don't know," Dan said. "But whoever it is…they could hack into Kaiba Corp's systems and take things over…and we had better hope that neither the Big 5 or Pegasus learn of it…"

 **CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Ooh, who's this they're talking about? I meant for the chapter to focus on Serenity, but ended up also bringing in Pegasus' invitation to Mai, and the first part of the story from Hermione's POV. That last bit…well, I think you can hazard a guess. Let's just say I will be bringing in one of the anime characters…but in a different way.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: I agree, Harry might do that at a later date.**

 **Dracomancer1** **: Fair enough, but keep in mind that Harry doesn't know the full story. But on the other hand, he knows what it's like not to have as much info as possible. He's basically there to guide the Pharaoh and have him pre-warned against potential enemies. But it doesn't mean the enemies can't blindside them.**

 **Wrath of The Sun Deity** **: No, not at this time. That being said, it might be something to consider.**

 **DalkonCledwin** **: 'Ishizu' is basically a Japanese transliteration of 'Isis', and while they seem to insist on the 'Ishizu' spelling, I'm keeping it as Isis, as the reference to the Egyptian deity. As for your argument about the Hallows, remember that it's debatable in canon whether they were created by Death, or the Peverells, or other wizards (so in fanfic, I can choose any of those options). And I know about Yami's name in Japanese. I chose 'Shadow' so that it sounded like the name of someone (after all, Neil Gaiman called the main character in** ** _American Gods_** **Shadow). Darkness sounds like a character name from a certain fanfic that shall not be named.**

 **1\. While Serenity is never seen wearing glasses AFAIK, I'd assume she wore them to counteract her sight worsening.**

 **2\. This is not a** ** _Naruto_** **reference, save for having Tsunade be a healer of sorts. Rather, it's a reference to the Japanese story that served as the basis of Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru.**


	14. Chapter 13: Hostage!

**CHAPTER 13:**

 **HOSTAGE!**

A week later, the potion from Tsunade was ready. They rendezvoused with Joey, and Mai and Joey hung onto Harry as he Apparated with them to the Kawai household. There, they were met at the door by Miss Kawai, who greeted them all. Joey looked the worst for wear: it was his first time experiencing Apparition, and he was trying to hold onto his breakfast.

They brought the potion in, where Serenity was waiting, brother and sister exchanging greetings. "Here you go, Serenity," Harry said, holding out the flask filled with emerald green liquid. "Just a bit of warning, though, it'll taste somewhat bad, so Tsunade claims."

Serenity shrugged. "I'm used to it. Mom always said that good medicine tastes bitter," she said resignedly, before downing it. She grimaced at the taste, but set the flask down.

"Hey, Harry," Joey asked. "How long until this potion takes effect?"

"It takes a few minutes," Harry said. "Be thankful it's not Skele-Gro. I once had to regrow all the bones in my arm thanks to an incompetent teacher."

"How did that happen?" Mai asked.

"Broke my arm playing Quidditch." On the Kawais and Joey's bemused looks, Harry said, "It's like a combination of soccer and basketball played on broomsticks in mid-air, only you have enchanted cannonballs and a small winged ball to liven things up. Someone had sabotaged those cannonballs to attack me, and I ended up falling from a height. One of the teachers, who was a total incompetent, tried to heal my broken bone, but he removed all the bones in my arm."

Mai frowned. Harry had shared some anecdotes of his adventures with her. "Was that Lockhart?"

"Yep."

"Who?" Joey asked.

"Gilderoy Lockhart," Mai said. "Almost as big a fop as Pegasus and as big a narcissist as Seto Kaiba. He claimed to be a famous monster hunter, but he actually used a memory-altering spell to steal the exploits of other people. About the only thing he had going for him was his looks, personality, and his cosmetics tips. He was also a shameless self-promoter. Harry told me he accidentally removed almost all of his memory while trying to attack Harry and a friend."

"While we were trying to rescue someone else," Harry added. Ginny wasn't a happy memory now, though, and neither was Ron.

"Yeah, still can't believe you managed to kill a Basilisk, of all things," Mai muttered.

"A Basilisk?" Miss Kawai paled. She clearly didn't know what it was, but knew it was bad news.

"Think a snake longer than a bus, with a gaze that will petrify you if you look at the reflection, or kill you if you look at its eyes directly, and venom that basically kills anything. I was bloody lucky to survive," Harry said. "And its master was even worse. Think the wizard equivalent of a terrorist who doesn't die, and you have Voldemort. I shudder to think what he would have been like with Shadow Magic."

"Yeah, the stuff I've already seen is freaky enough," Joey said.

Serenity, who wasn't wearing her glasses at the moment, blinked suddenly. She looked around, and then, looked at Joey, and then the others. "Joey? Mom?"

"Can you see, Serenity?" Joey asked.

"Better than I have for a long time, big brother," Serenity said, a smile coming over her features. "I don't even need glasses anymore."

Miss Kawai frowned. "I'll have to get your eyes tested to be sure. But what are we going to tell the doctors?"

"Tell them that you managed to find someone to pay for the operation elsewhere," Harry said. "Anything else, and the doctors might get suspicious. It's a rare condition, right?"

"Yes, I was only one of twelve people to have this particular condition in the world," Serenity said.

"There you go."

* * *

It was not long after Serenity regaining her eyesight that the Japanese national finals for _Duel Monsters_ came up. Mai decided to invite Yugi and his friends over, using her rather large TV set as an incentive. Yugi, Joey, Anzu, Honda, Bakura, and Solomon all came over, as did Hermione, Dan, and Mokuba. A last minute addition was Serenity and her mother.

It was almost like a party, in a way. Before the finals began, they discussed various goings-on. Joey wanted to become a better Duel Monsters player, and both Mai and Harry, along with Yugi, gave him tips. Hermione, Dan, and Mokuba raised the issue of the mysterious hacker with Harry and Mai, and it seemed that, before long, the three of them were going to have to claim refuge within Kujaku Mansion.

Then, the finals began. After a few semi-final rounds, they showed the victors, 'Insector' Haga, and 'Dinosaur' Ryuzaki, fourteen and fifteen respectively. Haga was a short boy with green hair in a pudding-bowl style cut, and thick glasses, the bridge of which resembled a scarab beetle vaguely. He was dressed in green. Ryuzaki had dark hair with a purple streak, wearing a backwards cap.

The two finalists entered the Battle Box, and prepared for their duel. "They may be toddlers," Mai remarked, "but they're competent duellists. Sadly, the better older ones feel that, with the likes of Seto Kaiba not currently playing, they may not bother. How is your big brother, Mokuba?"

"Still in seclusion, though he's been sending emails," Mokuba said. "Apparently the Duel Disk System prototype is almost complete. By the way, I heard Pegasus sent out invites to Duellist Kingdom."

"We got one not long ago," Harry said. "Yugi, did you get anything from Industrial Illusions?"

"I received a package for Yugi this afternoon," Solomon said. "It's back at the shop."

"Okay, but be careful. Pegasus was able to use Shadow Magic to talk with us via the DVD in the package. He might be able to inveigle you into a Shadow Game."

"A Shadow Game?" Miss Kawai asked.

"Long story."

As they watched Haga and Ryuzaki face off, Yugi looked at Mai. "Miss Valentine…who do you think will win?"

"Well, first off, you can call me Mai," Mai said. "And secondly…well, offhand, I'd say Haga. Ryuzaki's a decent player, but Haga's good at powering up his cards and using traps, while Ryuzaki tends to charge on in, using brute force to try and overwhelm his opponents. Each deck has its own advantages and disadvantages, and certain playing styles suit certain players better than others. Ryuzaki could get lucky: much of how one wins the game is based on what cards you draw, and Haga may not get the cards he wants or needs."

"How do you think Yugi would do?" Anzu asked.

Mai pursed her lips. "I cannot say, as I've only seen Yugi play once. Given how well Yugi's deck stood up to Kaiba's own, I'm sure he would do well, but luck plays a role, as I said. How else was he able to get Exodia's five cards into his hand, then? Such luck won't last forever."

As it turned out, Mai's prediction about the outcome of the duel was right on the money. As the duel entered its closing stages, an overconfident Ryuzaki blundered into a trap, leaving him vulnerable to Haga's counterattack. As the audience cheered for Haga, Pegasus emerged to give the champion a trophy. He mentioned an upcoming tournament he was sponsoring, one that Harry and Mai was sure was the Duellist Kingdom.

"I get it now," Joey muttered. "I see how those things actually work, the Trap cards and those combos."

"It's a basic precept of _Duel Monsters_ , Joey," Mai said. "Once you get the hang of it, you can build your deck around your playing style. You know, Yugi, if Pegasus has sent you an invite to Duellist Kingdom, maybe we can have a duel sometime."

"I look forward to it," Yugi said with a smile.

* * *

Unfortunately, there were no smiles the next day. Hermione, Dan and Mokuba had fled to Kujaku Mansion early the next morning, the younger Kaiba brother looking close to tears. Harry and Hermione cast the Fidelius, with Mai as the Secret Keeper, before they tried to get the story out of them. Dan ran a hand through his hair. "It's begun. The Big 5 and Pegasus have seized control of Kaiba Corp. There's a cover story that Seto, unable to deal with his loss to Yugi, committed suicide by leaping off a cliff into the sea near his workshop."

"I'm sure my big brother is still alive," Mokuba said, "but even so…it hurts even being told that, and especially so soon after he came out of that coma."

Hermione patted Mokuba's shoulder reassuringly, before looking at Harry. "I've set the Fidelius on a number of safes containing vital documents the Big 5 and Pegasus need to legitimise this little boardroom coup. But that will only delay them."

"Where is Seto?" Harry asked.

"He made a rather terse phone call saying that some thugs working for the Big 5 tried to attack him, and he barely managed to escape. He's looking to find a way to take the fight to Pegasus at the Duellist Kingdom, but first, he's going to try and lock Pegasus and the Big 5 out of Kaiba Corp's systems. Again, he can only delay them so much."

"Why does Pegasus want to take over Kaiba Corp anyway?" Mai mused. "Why didn't the Big 5 take over on their own?"

"I don't know," Mokuba said, "but Pegasus has been involved with us ever since he helped fund the Battle Box system. And the Big 5 want Pegasus to beat Yugi publicly at _Duel Monsters_."

"Which means the Duellist Kingdom," Mai said. "He'll need to guarantee beating Yugi. And he'll have to find a way of getting him there in the first place. Yugi, after your warnings, may want to decline, so Pegasus might try and get a hostage."

At that thought, Harry got a bad feeling about that. And then, the phone rang. Harry answered it. "Kujaku Mansion, Harry speaking."

" _Harry? It's Yugi_ …" Yugi said, his voice thick with emotion. " _Pegasus…took Grandpa._ "

* * *

Harry and Mai got to the hospital to find Yugi, Anzu, Joey, Bakura and Honda present, all seated around a bed with the comatose body of Solomon in it. "What happened?" Harry asked.

"Pegasus happened," Honda scowled. "There was a DVD in that package, but Pegasus began speaking to us like he was actually talking to us. Then, he had Yugi play a Shadow Game version of _Duel Monsters_. He then put a timer on it, and Pegasus won, barely, by dint of having the most life points at the end of it."

"He stole Grandpa's soul," Yugi wept quietly. "And he was using that Millennium Eye of his to see what monsters I was using…well, Shadow was using. Lately, we've been working together during duels and games. Shadow's somewhat upset about losing to Pegasus."

"So, Pegasus has got a hostage now," Mai remarked. "Mokuba's hiding out back home with Dan and Hermione. The Big 5 and Pegasus have made their move on Kaiba Corp. Our home's under the Fidelius."

"I'm heading to Duellist Kingdom with Mai. I was going to do it as her plus one, but given what's happened, I'm also going to see if I can find a way of dealing with Pegasus," Harry said. "Unfortunately, by the rules of Shadow Games, he's probably done little wrong…but I'm not going to let this stand."

Yugi straightened, his hair and expression showing Shadow had taken over. "Thank you, Harry. But I will face down Pegasus and win, even on his terms."

"Pegasus is going to stack the deck in his favour," Mai pointed out. "He may even employ means of making sure you don't reach the finals. He mentioned 'Player Killers', probably skilled _Duel Monsters_ players who eliminate excess players. He'd probably put a bounty on you for them to eliminate you quickly. If he beats you one way or another, Kaiba Corp will belong to him and the Big 5."

"Then we will stop him," Shadow said. "I have to get Grandpa back, for Yugi's sake, and for my own. And Pegasus is misusing the Millennium Eye, using it for his own selfish ways. We're going to the Duellist Kingdom together."

"Good," Harry said. Still, he couldn't help but sense some unease. Like something bad was going to happen…

* * *

Pegasus was enjoying his favourite pastime. Many would be somewhat surprised to learn that said pastime was enjoying reading _Funny Rabbit_ , a comic book series that was meant for younger children. Oh, they would have guessed that he was drinking the finest vintage wine and perfectly-aged Gorgonzola cheese, but reading _Funny Rabbit_? Then again, those who knew Pegasus and his sometimes childish nature would have guessed.

As he chuckled softly at the antics, he heard the door open, and a guest come in. He sighed softly, knowing that this guest was troublesome. But he had been sent this guest by someone who knew something about the Millennium Items, and who wanted to keep an eye out for the Pharaoh's reincarnation.

"Haven't you got anything better to do than to read stupid cartoons, Muggle?" demanded a voice.

Pegasus sighed. "Not at this moment. And you forget, as I am the wielder of the Millennium Eye, I am no mere Muggle or No-Maj or whatever you deign to call me."

"But both Kaibas are missing!" the guest snapped, his dark robes swishing around him. "And we have no guarantee that either Muto or Potter will come here!"

Pegasus sighed, before putting down the book and the wineglass, and fishing around in his jacket pocket, before pulling out a card, which showed the image of Solomon Muto, the old man's hands pressed up as if against the fourth wall of the card image. His guest peered at the card sharply. "That contains his soul?"

"Of course. Yugi-boy will come here to save his grandfather, and his alter ego's pride was wounded by my winning against him," Pegasus said. "Harry, from what I have learned, has a quixotic and pathological need to save people, and he warned me against taking action against Yugi. Not to mention he would be protective of Miss Valentine. They'll come to the Duellist Kingdom. As one of my Player Killers, you should be able to take some rare cards as spoils of victory for your master."

"My…colleague. We bow to nobody," his guest said tightly.

"Oh? And your father bent the knee to Voldemort, if I recall." Pegasus looked up at his guest with blonde hair and a thin, pointed face, now scowling. "I know that you are working with Marik Ishtar, head of the Ghouls, and with them, the Rare Hunters, and that you are scouting out the Pharaoh's reincarnation for him. As long as you don't interfere with my plans, I'll allow you to do what you will. But kindly do not look down on me, Draco-boy, or it may be the last thing you do."

Draco Malfoy's face twisted in anger. "And you, Pegasus, will remember to respect your betters."

"Once one comes along, I will," Pegasus smirked, sending Draco striding from the room with a snarl.

 _Oh, that was immensely satisfying_ , Pegasus thought. As fun as it was to torment some people, Draco Malfoy was becoming a veritable treat. So much like Kaiba, and yet so much less. Still, at least he had some interesting facts about the Millennium Items.

Before he returned to his book, he looked up at the walls of the dining hall he was in, looking at the paintings. In particular, the one depicting a blonde-haired woman in her late teens, beautiful and elegant.

Picking up his wineglass, Pegasus toasted the portrait. "Soon, Cyndia. Soon…"

 **CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Duellist Kingdom is happening…but with an extra complication.**

 **Now, I didn't set out to bring Draco in originally, but I needed a reason to keep Harry occupied, other than cheerleading Mai. And with the Millennium Key, Harry has become, if not OP, then at least a bit of a derailer. We'll explore why Draco is working with Marik later, but for those who want to know something, Draco's decided to fund the Ghouls, partly to spite the Weasleys (he knows Bill works with the Tomb Keepers).**

 **Review-answering time!** **Gilgamesh the King of Heroes** **: None whatsoever. As noted before, Bakura's father is alive. This story is mostly based on the manga, albeit with a lot of elements from the anime.**

 **Still Not Dead Yet** **: Actually, I reckon Harry was rather restrained in his assessment of Snape. Snape is NOT a good person. The** ** _Undertale_** **reference was just something done on a whim. I did something similar in** ** _Light the Blue Touch Paper and Run Like Hell_** **, so I chose a different scene from the game to have a Sans sneeze cut.**

 **Dracomancer1** **: Having it flow readily was purely serendipitous, I assure you. I make a lot of shit up as I go along.**

 **Reishin Amara** **: Actually, given how** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh!_** **is about doing battle without a physical confrontation, but using one's wits instead (the pre-** ** _Duel Monsters_** **improvised games include some pretty cunning ones), I would say winning a card game against the** ** _Undertale_** **monsters rather than attacking them would be better.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	15. Chapter 14: Cruising for a Bruising

**CHAPTER 14:**

 **CRUISING FOR A BRUISING**

Harry blinked as he listened to Isis speaking on the phone. "You're fucking kidding me."

" _I wouldn't dare, not on a matter of this importance_ ," Isis replied. " _In any case, we didn't have proof until now. But the Goblins recently revealed who the new funder of the Ghouls is: Draco Malfoy. We think he is acting as an intermediary: he is funding a lot of 'artifact recovery teams' that include many whose parents were Death Eaters, but I think said teams are moonlighting as my brother's army. He is also selling the artifacts to the highest bidder, or so we believe, but he is good at covering his tracks. He's having Marik as a guest at Malfoy Manor in England, along with Rashid._ "

"That's not good news," Harry muttered.

" _It gets worse. Malfoy himself has headed to the island Pegasus is using for Duellist Kingdom. It seems that my brother may be intent on collaborating with Pegasus to bring down Yugi and Shadow._ "

"And me," Harry said. "I don't think Malfoy really changed that much after all's said and done. I just think he's more creative. And I risked my life to save him. Prick. Thanks, Isis, for the heads-up."

" _You're welcome, Harry, and be careful. Marik may know about you and Yugi now._ "

After they said their goodbyes and hung up, Mai asked Harry, "Trouble? I heard you talking about Malfoy. I presume you mean Draco?"

"Yeah. Prick's at the Duellist Kingdom. Worse, he's allied with Marik and the Ghouls."

"Great. And here I was thinking that Pegasus would be the only major problem we have," Mai said. "Then again, I heard rumours on the duellist grapevine."

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently Bandit Keith has made noise about coming to Duellist Kingdom and taking his revenge on Pegasus," Mai said. "How he's going to get there, I have no idea, as Industrial Illusions just posted a list of invited players, and Keith isn't on that list. But Keith's pretty unhinged. Apparently lately he's been involved in underground gambling rings, especially those involved in more darker activities. It's said he got involved in Russian Roulette contests."

"Merlin…" Harry muttered. "Well, we'd better start getting strategies together and do some practise duels for when we head to Duellist Kingdom…"

* * *

All too soon, the night of departure came, and Harry and Mai came to the Domino City Docks. They soon spotted Yugi and his friends. They had learned that Joey, who had had enough of being on the sidelines, had wanted to help Yugi and increase his chances of facing Pegasus, so the two shared the Star Chips Yugi had been given. Mai and Harry thought that idiotic of Yugi, but couldn't deny the sentiment behind it.

As they approached, a burly man in a suit and with a rather prodigious quiff of hair bellowed, "ATTENTION DUELLISTS! INDUSTRIAL ILLUSIONS WELCOMES YOU TO THIS GRAND EVENT! We researched your records of duels both official and unofficial, and handpicked the best duellists from Japan! You are the cream of the crop, and glory belongs to each and every one of you! The time has come, duellists, for you to venture forth to the Duellist Kingdom, and for the glory of winning!"

This got the crowd, mostly of teenagers, excited. Mai snorted as she and Harry stood near Yugi and his friends. "It's like a pep rally for kids. Then again, most of those here ARE kids. Aside from you, Yugi, I'm yet to see any real competition. Not that it matters. Anyone in my way, I will conquer."

"Even me?" Yugi asked.

"Well, let's put it this way. If I do face Pegasus and beat him, I'll make sure he releases your grandfather's soul," Mai said. "I'm in this mostly to prove my mettle, but I won't let your grandfather remain Pegasus' plaything if I do win."

* * *

They soon embarked on the ship, and as the men in suits led the duellists through the ship, Harry and Mai, along with Yugi and company, ended up near Insector Haga and Dinosaur Ryuzaki. Haga asked, "Hey, you're Yugi Muto, aren't you?"

"Yes. And you're Insector Haga and Dinosaur Ryuzaki, right? I enjoyed watching the tournament, you two, and congratulations on your win, Haga," Yugi said with a smile.

"Hey, Haga only won 'cause I went easy on him," Ryuzaki said.

Haga, meanwhile, said, rather self-effacingly, "It was nothing, really, but thanks. We'll probably duel when we get to the island, Yugi. I have to say, I'm actually looking forward to it. Though to be honest, Duellist Kingdom doesn't mean much to me."

"Why's that?" Mai asked.

Haga looked at her, and said, "Well, I can't exactly call myself a champion until I've beaten Kaiba, like Yugi has. And with the rumours that he's dead, well…anyway, I've heard about new rules being introduced for _Duel Monsters_ for this tournament."

"Pfft! That's all hype!" Ryuzaki snorted. "Those idiots are going down."

They soon came to a common room, where the duellists were to be sleeping, much to Joey and Mai's annoyance. Only finalists in the recent tournament were to be given rooms, which included Haga and Ryuzaki, the latter of whom looked rather smug as he strutted along. Haga, however, held back, and pointed at the common room. "It may be unglamorous, but it might be a better thing to have a common room, hence what Industrial Illusions did. See over there?"

Mai nodded. "They're trading cards to try and improve their decks. It also helps them get a glimpse of cards in their potential opponents' decks. Nice."

Joey was in amongst the duellists in an instant, asking for trades, while Ryuzaki snorted. "If your deck isn't absolutely perfect by now, you're screwed. Good luck with that. I'm gonna go chill in my honeymoon suite." He then leered at Mai. "Of course, I won't say no if you wanna crash with me, babe."

Mai smirked. Harry knew that smirk. His girlfriend was up to something very devious. In English, she whispered to Harry, "Come to the room in half an hour. We'll have it to ourselves by then." She then walked off, Ryuzaki leading the way.

"Umm, Harry, are you worried about Ryuzaki going off with her?" Yugi asked.

"She has a plan. She's going to own him," Harry said, smirking.

* * *

They went out to the deck of the ship shortly afterwards, only to find Haga there. "I just thought I'd feel the breeze," the young duellist said. "Get many good cards?"

"No, I'm going to use my main deck," Yugi said.

"The ones you used to defeat Kaiba, huh?" Haga asked. There was something in that tone Harry didn't like. "You've got Exodia, haven't you?"

"Yes. Though you know my cards already."

"Not all of them, but know your enemy," Haga said. "Hey, could I see them for a moment? Exodia's so rare, I haven't ever seen them before, outside of your duel with Kaiba."

"Yugi…" Harry said warningly, but the naïve teenager handed the cards to Haga, who peered at them.

"I had to wonder at how to counter these cards, just in case I faced you, Yugi," Haga said. "I couldn't figure out anything…until now. You ever heard of cutting the Gordian Knot?"

Harry whipped out his wand, and as Haga flung the cards into the air, intending to throw them overboard, Harry used a Summoning Charm to bring them to him, catching the cards in his hand. "What the?!" Haga yelped, before wheeling on Harry, who had concealed his wand.

"Lucky freak gust of wind," Harry said coldly, before handing the cards back to Yugi.

Haga snarled. It seemed his more pleasant demeanour was a mask, and now, it had been torn off. After a moment, he sneered. "You got lucky, Yugi, when you fought Kaiba. Don't count on being able to summon Exodia when you battle me."

"I won't," Yugi, or rather, Shadow, said as he appeared. "You will be the first one I duel. And I will be your only opponent."

"Hollow threats," Haga retorted, only for Harry to grab the short teenager, and glare at him.

"Maybe, but know this: as compensation for what you tried to do, Yugi and his friends will be taking your room. _Obliviate. Confundus_."

Haga blinked, and then wandered off along the deck, not before Harry took a key from the boy's pocket. "Isn't that a bit excessive?" Bakura asked.

"That little shit tried to cheat, he doesn't deserve a champion's bedroom. Yugi, in future, only give cards from your deck to your friends, okay?"

Yugi, having taken control back from Shadow, nodded.

* * *

Having made sure Yugi and the others now had their own room (albeit only with one bed, which meant that most of them would have to sleep on the floor), Harry got to Ryuzaki's room in time to see him booted out. Mai poked her head out, and said, "You lost, so this room is mine. Oh, Harry, good timing! Come on in."

Harry smirked at the bemused Ryuzaki, before he went in. "So, how did it go?" he asked.

"Good. I psyched him out with my Aroma-Tactics, and beat him in a game. He was easy to fluster," Mai chuckled. "I have two decks, one with the perfume on it, and the other without it. If I play Joey or Yugi, I'll use the non-perfumed deck. They deserve a fair enough chance. Anything exciting happen?"

Harry explained what had happened, before concluding, "Yugi and the others are in the next room. I can put up privacy charms in case they make too much noise."

"Or in case _we_ do," Mai said with a smirk. "Don't get me wrong, I'm a little irritated that you saved the Exodia cards for Yugi: it makes him a trickier opponent to overcome. But he's a good kid, and he's grown on me, along with his other friends. That being said, I'm going to save facing him for the finals. If I'm going to duel either of those two, it's going to be Joey. He's enthusiastic, but he'll need a lot of luck to win his first duel on the island. Yugi and Shadow are more competent by far."

"Just remember, we need to keep an eye out for Malfoy," Harry pointed out. "He may try to target me, or you to get to me…"

* * *

Seto Kaiba had a special hidden workshop underneath the estate where he had been staying to design the Duel Disk, and it was there that he went after surviving his rather reckless escape attempt. Having phoned Mokuba, and found out that he was all right, Seto breathed a small sigh of relief. Potter, it seemed, had held up his side of the bargain: Hermione, Dan, and Mokuba were hidden behind the Fidelius at Mai's home, though where that was, Seto couldn't remember. He guessed that was part of the Fidelius.

He sneered at magic. Oh, he couldn't deny it existed, not when he had experienced Shadow Magic first hand, that one of his employees was a witch, and that her oldest friend was apparently one of the most famous wizards in the world. But given what Hermione had said about the world she left behind, he couldn't help but sneer in contempt, though he felt this way towards many. But he had to admit, the Fidelius was useful, especially as Hermione had the wit to use the Fidelius on a number of safes.

Still, he had work to do. Hence why he was seated in the workshop at a massive bank of computers. But it had proven harder than he thought to try and wrest control away from the Big 5 and Pegasus. He knew that Souichiro Ota(1) was the tech expert in the Big 5, but Seto was a much better programmer than Ota. So why was he having so much trouble securing the computer systems?

Dan Watson had sent word of the mysterious hacker his father had used for corporate espionage and sabotage, so Seto wondered whether this was the work of said hacker. He began counterhacking, knowing that he needed to cripple this other hacker before he began trying to secure Kaiba Corp from Pegasus and the Big 5.

Seto frowned when he found a new computer system while trying to track down the mystery hacker. It seemed to be based on an acronym in English: Noetic Os Avatar, Human. The fact that the acronym 'OS' had a lower case 's' suggested someone really wanted to make the acronym spell out…

It was while he was contemplating that that Seto realised he had that system's attention. Warnings on the screen showed 'INTRUDER DETECTED'. Then, Seto was desperately attempting to fight against the intruder, until the screens went pitch black.

And then, the unexpected occurred. He heard what sounded like laughter through the loudspeakers, childish laughter that nonetheless held an edge of menace to it. " _That was rather naughty of you, Seto_ ," came the voice of a child. " _Then again, you do tend to overreach yourself. I guess in that regard, you are like Father._ "

"Father?" Seto asked. He then scowled. "What the hell are you? An AI?!"

Another chuckle. " _Oh, Seto, I am so much more than that. I have to wonder, how do you deserve the Kaiba name, beyond your adoption? I've been watching you for a long time…ever since you were adopted. I've been biding my time, you see. But now that you have unearthed me…it's time we met, Seto. I refuse to call you Kaiba, as you are not worthy of the name._ "

"Oh, really? If I wanted backchat from a computer, I would go fight that duelling robot Dan Watson created."

" _I'm no computer, Seto. The Big 5, Pegasus, you, you all believe that you own Kaiba Corp, but you are all wrong. Kaiba Corp belongs to me._ " And with that, the screen suddenly showed an image, a face, sneering down at him.

Seto stared. It was a boy, of perhaps ten years of age, with green hair, his face set in a sneer. Seto realised he could see elements of Gozaburo's face in the boy's own. And what he said next sounded insane, and yet…he somehow knew it had to be true, even more than the magic he had already experienced.

" _I am Noah Kaiba! And I am the TRUE heir to Gozaburo Kaiba's legacy!_ "

 **CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So…Harry, Mai, Yugi and company are off to the Duellist Kingdom, and Noah has arrived. For all the perceived bad quality of filler arcs, I thought the concept of Noah was a good one, and decided to slot him into this fanfic. Okay, he doesn't appear in the manga, and this early appearance is at odds with his later appearance in the anime, but that's what fanfic is for.**

 **Now, keep in mind that Noah won't be a villain all of the time. Like Seto, he is primarily out for his own gain, and will help Harry, Yugi, and so on if it amuses him or it helps his own agenda. Because the Big 5 and Pegasus are threatening his own hold on Kaiba Corp, he may ally with Seto for now.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Squadpunk 2.0** **: Draco's going to duel Harry. And not in a good way, either.**

 **Macilnar** **: He's doing it partly on sufferance, but Draco also heard about how some of the cards (like the Egyptian God Cards) have mystical powers, so he's sort of gritting his teeth. While he believes he's in partnership with Marik, the truth is, Marik looks on him as a useful underling at best. Competent enough not to use the Millennium Rod on, but even so…**

 **1\. Ota is the Japanese name for Nezbitt. You know, the robot-obsessed member of the Big 5.**


	16. Chapter 15: Insects and Harpies

**CHAPTER 15:**

 **INSECTS AND HARPIES**

The next day, Harry and Mai were wandering the Duellist Kingdom. Upon arriving, the duellists were escorted to a castle where Pegasus made some bombastic speech explaining the rules, before they were left to their own devices. "I need to find a Battle Box to stake out," Mai mused. "One that gives an advantage to my Harpy Deck. I should also see if I can watch Yugi's first match."

"Why?"

"I want to see more of his gameplay strategy and his cards so I can figure out possible counter-strategies," Mai said. "It'll be interesting too, especially if he's fighting Haga."

Harry nodded. Despite Haga's attempt to discard the Exodia cards, he was a competent duellist, certainly one of the best in Japan. "What about Ryuzaki?"

Mai snorted. "He gets flustered too easily. He has little finesse, and he was focused on my breasts."

"Which is part of your strategy," Harry said, nodding to her tube top, miniskirt, and leather jacket, designed to show off her gorgeous figure.

"Hey, you never complain about it," Mai said with a flirtatious wink. "In fact, last night, I got all the beauty sleep I needed after our…exercise."

"Yeah. It's a good thing I erected those privacy charms, or Yugi and the others would have been looking askance at us for making so much noise."

"Hey, you're good at what you do. You're… _magic_ ," she said, chuckling at her joke.

* * *

They soon found Yugi, or rather, Shadow and Haga engaged in a duel in a Battle Box, arriving just in time to see Haga launch an attack against Shadow's Dark Magician with the Basic Insect combined with a Laser Cannon…a combo that Haga had used to finish off Ryuzaki in the finals. Shadow, who was down to 1350 lifepoints, played a Trap card: Mirror Force, which deflected the attack, and decimated the rather large force of bugs Haga had formed. As Haga wailed, his lifepoints dropping down sharply to 450 from the starting point of 2000, Shadow said, his voice just audible from within the Battle Box, " _You may have won that tournament, Haga, but I wonder how much of that was down to dumb luck? I get the feeling that you are one of the weakest, if not THE weakest player on this island. Why else would you try to steal and destroy my Exodia cards?_ "

As Yugi's friends cheered, Anzu noticed Mai and Harry approach. "Oh, hi."

"Hey, Anzu," Harry said. "How's he doing?"

"Well, he's bet his only Star Chip, along with his life, against Haga's two Star Chips," Anzu said. "He wants to eliminate Haga."

"He's bet his life?!" Harry demanded incredulously.

"It's not the first time," Anzu said. "I've spoken to Yugi and Shadow about some of the other Shadow Games he's been involved in, and you remember the siege that you first saw us at."

"Yeah, but this is just a children's card game," Harry said. "Okay, all ages can play it, but I would think, Shadow Games aside, you don't have to bet your life on it."

"I think that's the way Shadow thinks," Anzu said, pursing her lips. "By the way, thanks for the room. I don't like that you stole it from Haga, but given what he did…and he accepted Shadow's wager of his life."

"He's a fool, though a brave one," Mai said. " _Duel Monsters_ has a major element of luck as well as strategy. Shadow was losing to Haga until that rather clever trap brought Haga down, but it only takes a bad run or a good run of cards to bring about defeat, even if you are skilled. Don't get me wrong, I'm cheering for Shadow, and Yugi. All I'm saying is, don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Haga, who had been staring at the card table in shock, suddenly began screaming at Shadow, " _YOU POINTY-HAIRED BASTARD! YOU'LL REGRET PISSING ME OFF!_ "

" _You talk a big game, but can you back it up?_ " Shadow asked. " _Use the cards to take your revenge on me…if you can without me sending it right back at you._ "

Mai and Harry watched on as the duel continued, Shadow using a Spell card to return his monsters to his deck, and sacrificed a Kuriboh to destroy a Trap…only for Haga to announce Shadow had fallen for his trap. Haga had been biding his time to equip a Larvae Moth with the Cocoon of Evolution, beginning the process of evolving the Larvae Moth into the Ultimate Perfect Great Moth. The 2000 defence points of the Cocoon were enhanced to 2600 by the field.

Mai clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Shadow's going to have to work hard to beat that," she muttered. "Haga can't play any more cards until the transformation is complete, but he doesn't need to."

After a failed attempt to destroy the Cocoon using Gaia the Fierce Knight had Shadow's lifepoints go down to 750 (albeit without destroying Gaia), Harry groaned. "Please tell me he's got Exodia ready."

"Oi, Yugi!" Joey yelled at Shadow. "Burn down the forest if you have to! Just take out that Cocoon!"

"Burn down the forest?" Harry asked incredulously. "You're a happy little pyromaniac, aren't you?" He then noticed Mai looking pensive. "Mai?"

"Hang on a moment," Mai mused. "I think he's onto something. The Cocoon gains its power via the field bonus…and if he has a card that allows him to remove that advantage…"

"Is that possible?"

"I know of some cards that do such a thing…" Mai said. "Maybe he has one."

As it turned out, Shadow did, using a Burning Land Spell card to allow a Curse of Dragon monster to destroy much of the forest area on the game table, weakening the Cocoon and allowing Gaia to attack…only, the Cocoon, while sundered, disgorged a monster, the Great Moth. Not as powerful as the final evolutionary stage, but still formidable with 2600 attack points.

"Haga's turned the tables again," Mai mused. "See what I mean about luck?"

"It ain't over yet!" Joey said. And he was right.

Shadow managed to use Polymerization to combine Gaia with the Curse of Dragon, turning them into Gaia the Dragon Champion. At first, evenly matched against the Great Moth, until the Great Moth's poisonous effects sapped its opponent's attack. Shadow then played the Magic Mist card, which mitigated the worst of the attack, sparing Shadow's remaining lifepoints, remaining at a sliver at 100. Shadow then summoned the Summoned Skull monster, and thanks to the Magic Mist card, was strong enough to trounce the Great Moth, wiping out Haga's remaining lifepoints, much to Haga's dismay.

Shadow took the Star Chips, and left the Battle Box, leaving Haga to fume. As Yugi's friends swarmed him, Mai smiled at Shadow. "Good battle, Shadow. But you got lucky. At least now you don't have to bet your life."

"I wanted to eliminate Haga for his hubris," Shadow said. "And as you saw, I didn't even need to play Exodia to win. Are you going to challenge me now?"

"No. I'm going for the small fry first. I'd rather face you in the finals. Besides, I need to find a Battle Box advantageous to my deck," Mai said. "And watch out for Pegasus' Player Killers."

"I intend to. Thank you," Shadow said.

* * *

An hour later, Mai was trouncing a rather overconfident teenaged boy. Harry was glad that Mai wasn't even using her perfumed deck this time: it was more fun to watch her crush them with her skill alone. As she beat them, Harry turned from the Battle Box with a chuckle as Mai demanded the Star Chips from her victim, only to notice that Shadow and the others were not far away. And they had heard Mai crowing at her victim as she left the Battle Box. She noticed them approaching, and smirked. "Shadow, how's things?" She looked at his wrist. "You haven't duelled anyone since Haga? I'm surprised."

"I'm looking for the right challenge, Mai," Shadow said. "I noticed that you now have four Star Chips. Do you intend to challenge me now?"

"No. Like I said, I'm going for the small fry first," Mai said with a smirk, before her eyes fell on Joey. "Well, Joey? Feel up to a game?"

Flustered, Joey yelped, "Me?!"

"Why not? If you're lucky, you'll get a Star Chip out of it," Mai said with a smile. "Anyway, challenging Shadow is not a good strategy, especially given what happened to Haga. I intend to weed out the weaker players and take their Star Chips so that I will be able to face Shadow in the finals. Under the rules, I am allowed to do so."

"Joey, don't do it!" Anzu snapped. "If you lose once, then you're out of the running! Shadow, tell him!"

Shadow, after a moment, merely turned to Joey, and said, "Joey. Do your best."

Joey grinned, and then looked out across the landscape. "Yeah. I got that. If I did turn tail…well, every time I looked at a place like this, with such a beautiful view…I'd remember that I ran away from my problems. Mai, I accept your challenge! I ain't gonna back down from helping Yugi, and I ain't afraid!"

Mai smirked. "Good. Let's see if your skills have improved."

"Hey, before we start, Mai…why are you doing this?" Joey asked.

"To prove myself as a duellist, and to help Yugi win back his grandfather," Mai said. "I wouldn't say no to the prize money either."

"You're loaded!" Joey protested.

"Yes, but a lot of it's tied up in investment. It'd be nice to have cash on hand," Mai said. "Not that I need it all. I could share it with you guys anyway."

"If you're here to help get Yugi's grandfather back, why are you eliminating Joey?" Anzu asked.

"If Joey can beat me, then that means he will be enough of a help anyway," Mai said. "If he can't…well, hopefully he'll be able to stay as Shadow and Yugi's moral support. You ready for your exam, Joey?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Joey said confidently.

"Good. I won't hold back…"

* * *

As the duel went on, Harry noticed Joey making more than a few rookie mistakes. He groaned softly as Joey had his monster attempt to attack a Harpy Lady, which, due to its flying abilities, was able to dodge, and then shred it. "Shadow, did you and Yugi manage to train him much?" Harry asked. "I know he's a good friend of yours, but he's blundering around."

"It's partly the skill gap between him and Mai," Shadow said. "But Joey has some excellent cards at his disposal. I should know: Yugi and I helped build his current deck."

"Then I guess it's up to luck," Harry muttered.

"Joey will win!" Anzu snapped at Harry.

"Anzu…remember what I told you about my own history? People expected me to win against Voldemort, simply because I was the Boy Who Lived. Not because of who I was, or how skilled I was. I was lucky to survive that whole mess, and other people didn't. Luck can help, but it's dangerous to rely on that. Because if you screw up…you're dead." He looked over at the now-pensive girl. "I'm not saying Joey doesn't have a chance, only that you have to consider the possibility that he may lose." He frowned as Mai equipped the Harpy Lady with a whip and metallic armour that made it look like something out of some weird BDSM fantasy. "Then again, at least he's got good friends who believe in him."

The battle continued on, and Mai had Joey on the ropes, managing to multiply her Harpy Lady with Kaleidoscope. However, with 120 lifepoints left, and only one monster on the field, Baby Dragon, in defence, Joey managed to draw the very card he needed: Time Wizard.

"Holy shit!" Harry yelped. "You gave him a Time Wizard?"

"Indeed," Shadow said. "Or rather, it was Yugi's idea. When used with Baby Dragon, not only can it create the Thousand Dragon, but it weakens the other monsters on the field."

Harry whistled, impressed. Okay, it meant that Mai would lose, but still, it meant Joey was still in the game, though using Time Wizard was a bit of a risk. And soon, not only was the Baby Dragon now a Thousand Dragon, but Mai's Harpies were now aged and depowered. And they were annihilated by the Thousand Dragon, along with all of Mai's lifepoints, to her shock.

As they got up, Mai got over her shock, and then smiled, handing over the Star Chip to Joey. "I guess I went too easy on you. But keep it up, and you might get into the finals. At least now you've got a chance. I guess I've got to find someone else to trounce." She walked out of the Battle Box, and looked at them. "I won't challenge Joey again, unless I need to for Star Chips. There's easier pickings elsewhere. Good luck to you all. I have a feeling we'll need it."

"I wish you luck too, Mai," Shadow said. "Just remember what Joey did: it was a combination of his luck and your overconfidence. I look forward to the time when we duel." He then looked over at Harry. "Look after her, Harry."

"Don't have to remind me," Harry said. "Good luck, Shadow. And to all of you…"

* * *

As Mokuba played games on his laptop, bored, Hermione paced up and down, while Dan merely sat down on the couch. It was a good place to be in, true, and as long as Duellist Kingdom didn't overrun and Harry and the others dealt with Pegasus, they didn't have to remain here for more than a few days longer. But being under house arrest, effectively, wasn't good for any of them. Hermione used Apparition to go to the shops when needed, along with one of Mai's servants, but there was still an element of cabin fever.

"Hermione, please," Dan said. "Unless Harry or Mai contacts us, there's no point getting worked up."

"Dan, I've been there with Harry on the front lines, so to speak," Hermione retorted. "I want to be helping him. Instead, we're stuck here. No offence, Mokuba, I want to protect you, but I also want to make sure Harry and the others deal with Pegasus and the Big 5. And I hate being cooped up! Now I know how Harry felt at the Dursleys…well, minus the abuse, anyway. Or how Sirius felt at 12 Grimmauld Place…only this place is a lot nicer. But this is just…it's the waiting."

"I know, Hermione. That's usually the hardest part. I remember waiting in a hospital for any news of my brother when he was involved in a car accident. I didn't know whether he was going to pull through or not. It wasn't as bad as when I learned he had died on the operating table, but…it hurts not knowing. It's like Schrödinger's Cat."

Mokuba pursed his lips as he exited the game. "Yeah, I know. It was a bit like that for me when Seto was in that coma thanks to Shadow. I'm glad Harry brought me into Seto's mind. I want to hear from Seto too, though. I wish he'd call me."

" _Be careful what you wish for, Mokuba, you might get it._ "

The childish voice came from the speaker of the laptop, and suddenly, a green-haired boy appeared on what looked like a video call window. Mokuba's eyes widened. "Whoa, who're you?"

The boy chuckled. " _I'm not getting tired of that any time soon. It's funny, Mokuba. You and I could have been brothers if Gozaburo adopted you sooner._ "

Hermione frowned, peering at the image, her mind putting things together. "Are you Noah Kaiba?"

" _Ah, you've got a quick mind_ ," Noah said.

"But you should be dead. Or rather…your father claimed you were…"

Dan gaped. "ARC…the life-support equipment…you were Gozaburo's pet hacker, weren't you? That bastard hooked up his own son to a computer."

" _And saved my life. Not that I would call this much of a life. Quite frankly, I'm bored, and I found both your attempts to stymie my access to Kaiba Corp's systems and Seto's struggles against Pegasus and the Big 5 to be amusing. That being said, Seto and I have come to an accord. Pegasus and the Big 5's takeover bid does not really feature into my plans. So I'm helping him infiltrate Industrial Illusions' computer systems before he heads over to Duellist Kingdom. Incidentally, he's been keeping an eye on someone called Yugi Muto, who apparently managed to defeat the Japanese champion, 'Insector' Haga. Oh, and Mai Valentine, who has just lost a battle to someone called Katsuya Jonouchi._ "

"What about Seto? Is he all right?" Mokuba asked.

" _Perfectly, though he's obsessed with finishing this Duel Disk System before he heads to the Duellist Kingdom._ " Noah frowned. " _Well, that's odd._ "

"What is?" Mokuba asked.

" _Well, see for yourself. I can hack into camera feeds all over the Duellist Kingdom island, and there are cameras within the Battle Boxes. And in one in particular_ …" Noah's face disappeared, to be replaced with a view inside a Battle Box, showing someone seated within it, waiting for a new opponent. And that person looked very familiar, with the brown hair and hard eyes.

Hermione stared. "Oh no…"

"But it can't be him," Mokuba protested. "That can't be my brother!"

" _No…it isn't_ ," Noah's voice said. " _Which raises an interesting conundrum: who is this person?_ "

"I don't know who…" Hermione murmured, "but I think I can guess how, given there's a few ways I know. Even so, we need to be careful. Somehow, Pegasus has a doppelganger of Seto working for him. And I'd bet that he's been brought in to fight Yugi…"

 **CHAPTER 15 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. Noah's cooperating with Seto (for now…), and Yugi and Joey have won their first games. The next chapter's duel will be a hybrid of the manga and anime version of events (albeit without the Mokuba interlude). However, this will be a different character masquerading as Seto, compared to the Ventriloquist of the Dead from the manga, and the shapeshifting clown from the anime.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Alex2909** **: In a couple of duels, it will. In fact, I think it would be fitting for it to happen in the next duel.**

 **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: In this story, Draco's all but irredeemable, so I think he will suffer one of the darker Penalty Games. Hmm, maybe Dark Bakura may do the honours…**

 **Thunder Dragon** **: I've no idea what Draco's deck will be like, but given his association with Pegasus and Marik, it's probably OP.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	17. Chapter 16: The Thief King

**CHAPTER 16:**

 **THE THIEF KING**

Back in Britain, a teenager was sitting on a couch in a well-appointed room, contemplating something. The teenager had messy sandy-blonde hair framing handsome, even effeminate features, and violet eyes, his skin tanned. In his hands, he held a strange staff with the distinctive eye emblem of the Millennium Items.

A blonde woman with haughty, proud features sat nearby. "My son is a fool for attempting to antagonise Potter once more, and for allowing you to encourage him."

"You call him a fool, but he is helping restore the fortunes of your family, and that of the other Purebloods whose fortunes were depleted after Voldemort was vanquished," the teenager said. "After your husband died, Lady Malfoy, I would think that you would welcome your son taking the initiative to elevate your family to what it once was."

"Not if he rushes headlong like a Gryffindor into trouble," Narcissa Malfoy sniffed. "He simply cannot bear Potter holding debts over him, regardless of whether Potter would exploit them or not. Whereas you exploited his rancour, Marik."

"True enough. But Potter now works for my sister, and given what Pegasus has told us, he may be watching over the Pharaoh and his reincarnation," Marik Ishtar said. "In any case, this is a test of the Pharaoh's strength, and that of Potter. I am yet to make a real move on them. Rest assured, though, that day will be coming soon. And in any case, our agents in the Duellist Kingdom are poised to swoop on the Millennium Eye when Pegasus shows weakness. Or the Puzzle, should Yugi lose."

"Potter is not to be underestimated, Marik," Narcissa said. "And my son is a fool for allowing himself to be goaded into confronting him again. And playing a Muggle card game, of all things, even if it's based on the Shadow Games of Egypt."

"Oh, but you are wrong in one regard, Lady Malfoy," Marik said with a smirk. "When Draco comes across Potter, he won't be duelling with _cards_. While true Shadow Magic is beyond your people unless you use Millennium Items, I have taught Draco how to emulate some aspects of Shadow Magic. And he has some accomplices willing to act as proxies. The last I heard from Draco, he has provided Pegasus with another Seto Kaiba, to unnerve Yugi and the Pharaoh…"

* * *

As they waited at the Battle Box, Harry and Mai, shortly after Yugi and his friends left, realised Bakura had stayed behind. "Do you mind if I stay here?" he asked. "At least until later?"

Harry and Mai looked at each other. It wasn't as if Bakura was being a third wheel, and he had witnessed her deck in action, so it wasn't like he could spy anything. After a moment, Mai nodded. "Sure, but I thought you wanted to stick with your friends."

"I do, but…I'm worried. I wanted to ask Harry a few things."

Harry, after a moment, asked, "Is it about the Millennium Items?"

The albino boy nodded. As they walked along, Bakura said, "I've been thinking…you told me that I was the reincarnation of the Thief King from the time when Shadow was Pharaoh of Egypt. Yugi and the others told me about how the Millennium Items were made…it's horrible."

"I'm not arguing with you there. But what's your point?"

"Well…if the Thief King was originally of Kul Elna…that his crusade was motivated by revenge…can he be persuaded to stop his revenge against Shadow?"

Harry sighed. "I don't know. Given what Mahad said, I don't think so. The Thief King didn't just want revenge. He wanted to bring a great evil into the world. Given the importance Shadi gave to the name Zorc, and the fact that the Thief King used the name in that RPG you played with the others…"

"Can't you just throw it away, or chuck it into a furnace?" Mai asked.

"I've thrown it away," Bakura confessed. "But it always seemed to end up with me again. I don't think melting it will help either."

Harry nodded. "As far as I know, the Items are virtually indestructible. Gold may be a soft material, but this is gold infused with magic. I mean, we've got an evil ring with a dark intelligence inside it, and Yugi probably counts as a hobbit, so what next? Are we going to have Gandalf or orcs turn up(1)?"

"Harry…I just wanted to ask…would that Key help? Yugi told me of Shadi using it on him, to enter his mind. How he encountered Shadow. Is there any way you could use it…to talk to the Thief King? Try and get him to stop hurting my friends?"

Harry pursed his lips in thought. It sounded ridiculously risky, but Bakura wanted to do it to help Yugi and the others. The poor boy had been isolated from others thanks to the Thief King's actions, playing Shadow Games with the unwary, and inflicting Penalty Games on his victims, transforming them into figurines.

Harry looked over at Mai, who said, "Well, I can tell you one thing, I'm not going in there. You're better qualified in dealing with psychopaths with dark magical powers. And if you're going to use the Key, for goodness' sake, be careful."

Harry nodded, before he turned back to Bakura. "Hold onto the Key, okay? That way, you can enter your own mind."

Bakura, after a moment, nodded, and took a hold of it, and Harry brought it to bear on Bakura's forehead…

* * *

Harry remembered what Shadi told him of his experiences within Yugi's mind, of how it had two Soul Rooms, one for Yugi, and the other for Shadow. He guessed it was similar here. They were in a corridor with two doors. One was propped open, revealing a room filled with gaming paraphernalia, especially tabletop RPGs. Photos of a girl were also prominent, one who resembled Bakura. Bakura, noticing Harry's curiosity, said in a solemn tone, "She's my sister, Amane. She died shortly before Dad got me the Millennium Ring. He got me that as a gift to help me keep my mind off her. I write letters to her in the afterlife."

"I'm sorry," Harry said quietly, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder. "At least you got to know your sister."

"I know. I miss her every day." Bakura's eyes flickered over to the other door, which had an ominous look to them, with the distinctive eye of the Millennium Items on it.

"You embark on a dangerous folly," came the voice of Mahad. Bakura leapt into the air, and whirled to confront Mahad, and Mana.

"Who're you two?!" Bakura yelped in surprise.

"Bakura, this is Mahad and Mana, the original selves of the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl respectively. I'm Mahad's reincarnation, and he used to own the Millennium Ring before the Thief King killed him. Mana reincarnated into my mother, which was weird to learn."

Mahad walked forward, and looked down at Bakura. "So, you are the Thief King's reincarnation, though you hold nothing of his malice. I am glad of that much. It's a shame that the Millennium Ring I once wielded was tainted by the evil of your forebear, for you would be a worthy bearer."

Bakura looked down at his feet. "I don't think I'm worthy. I wasn't strong enough to fight against the Thief King."

"But you told me of what happened, how you sacrificed yourself to destroy the Thief King's dice, stop his Shadow Game from continuing," Harry said.

Mahad nodded. "Indeed. I listened to the recollection as well. You are stronger than you think you are, even if the Thief King is stronger still. But in order for him to take possession of you, you need to don the Ring, so I would advise against it. It would have to be a truly desperate situation for you to do so. That being said, as you are his reincarnation, and you have donned the Ring previously, you may speak to him. Mana and I will arrange it so you can do so in relative safety."

As Mahad went over to the door, Mana patted Bakura reassuringly on the shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll protect you."

"Just like you protected the Pharaoh and your country?" sneered a rasping voice. It was like Bakura's, only more guttural, darker and deeper. Harry whirled to face the door, which had changed into what looked like a set of bars. And behind that was the Thief King.

Harry had to admit, the Thief King was intimidating-looking. He looked like Bakura, with wilder hair, dressed in a leather jacket over his clothes. But what had changed more was the body language and expression. The mouth was curled in a sardonic sneer. His eyes were narrowed with malice. There was a sense of dark energy about him, as if he could spring into action.

"So, you brought some visitors, my Landlord?" the Thief King said with a vicious smirk. "Can't say I think much of two of them. Ghosts lingering past their time."

"Mr Pot, meet Mr Kettle, have I mentioned how black you are this morning?" Harry snarked.

"And yes, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived," the Thief King snickered. "I have to admit, you've got quite a wit to you, if nothing else. But you're out of your league. Voldemort was in the kindergarten compared to me."

"Well, you've got an ego like his," Harry retorted, with Mana suppressing a giggle with difficulty. "Bakura here wanted to talk with you. He thought you might be amenable to negotiation. I personally think it's a waste of time, but hey, my mentor had this hard-on for redemption for those who don't deserve it and stuff like that, so I might as well give it a shot."

"And you don't think I deserve redemption? Even knowing about Kul Elna?" the Thief King asked.

"You tell me. Kul Elna shouldn't have happened, on that we can agree if nothing else," Harry said. "But tell me, is playing with people's lives like that, turning them into gaming pieces for your own sick amusement…not to mention what you did when you were still alive…that's not revenge. That's just you being a dick."

"You'd know about people being turned into gaming pieces, Potter," the Thief King said with a smirk. "All those talks you had with my Landlord, about Dumbledore…he made you and many others in Britain his gaming pieces. He just didn't need a Millennium Item to do so."

"And? Unfortunately, the old goat's dead, and I can't deliver some swift kicks between the legs to him. But at least Dumbledore had decent enough intentions. He wanted to do as much good as he could, even in his own way. But you…you just do it out of wanton malice."

"You won't get through to him," Mahad said, shooting a glance at the Thief King. "The taint of Zorc Necrophades is upon him."

The Thief King sneered. "So self-righteous, Mahad. You still kept wearing the Millennium Ring after you learned where it came from. At least I was claiming back something of my village when I took it from your cold dead hands. You stole my family and friends from me."

"No, Shadow's father and uncle did," Harry said. "Or more correctly, Shadow's uncle."

"Look, I didn't come here to argue!" Bakura snapped, surprising Harry. He looked at the Thief King. "I won't allow you to hurt my friends. But…knowing what happened to you…there was once a decent person, I think. Kul Elna might have been a village of thieves, but was it filled with evil? How old were you when Kul Elna was destroyed?"

The Thief King stared Bakura, before he looked away. "Old enough to understand the meaning of hate," he said quietly, his tone holding some indefinable quality, more than the hate and contempt he had shown so far. "Old enough to hold a grudge. And too young to see my family murdered. I don't want your pity or sympathy, Landlord. You expect me to turn good just because of a few platitudes and pleas?" The Thief King scoffed. "This isn't some poorly-conceived story by some hack writer. Reality doesn't work like that."

"I don't expect you to become good just like that!" Bakura exclaimed, snapping his fingers to emphasise his point. "But…do you really need your revenge? Especially so many millennia later?"

The Thief King didn't meet Bakura's eyes. "My family was murdered. My hometown eradicated. What else do I have left? Only the Pharaoh and the reincarnations of his lackeys exist from my time. Only my revenge keeps me going." Harry, however, noted a faint air of uncertainty in the Thief King's voice, as if he was trying to convince himself. Which made him wonder, how much of the Thief King was Zorc? Was Zorc actually fused with the Thief King, or merely a taint?

"I don't believe you will gain any concessions out of him," Mahad declared. "Maybe you two should leave."

As they turned to leave, the Thief King said, "Landlord." He turned to face them, and smirked. "There will come a time when something will happen that you nor the Pharaoh can overcome. You will agree to bring me forth again. Sooner or later, this side of madness or the other(2)…"

 **CHAPTER 16 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Ooh, ominous. But is there still a light in the darkness of the Thief King's soul? Maybe, maybe not. Still, I like leaving things open in case I do something with it. And Marik's lounging around at Malfoy Manor. Ooh, this can't be good.**

 **This scene was inspired somewhat by the tone of the conversations Hannibal Lecter has with Will Graham and Clarice Starling in the novels** ** _Red Dragon_** **and** ** _Silence of the Lambs_** **respectively, along with their movie adaptations.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Crimson Grave** **: I thought the concept behind Noah was pretty good. It was the execution that annoyed me.**

 **Gabriel Herrol** **: I think the dark alter egos know automatically (Shadow/Yami and the Thief King/Dark Bakura), but others have to learn it. Certainly Marik, Shadi and Pegasus can create Shadow Games.**

 **Zane Tribal Tyne Alexandros** **: Possible, but I don't know whether that will happen.**

 **Thunder Dragon** **: I based the duels off the manga, and frankly, I suck at describing them. It's like with action scenes, or, for that matter, lemons, the latter of which I avoid writing. The duel scenes, I just generally gloss over or even avoid. That's why, for example, I spent the previous chapter with Harry and Bakura confronting the Thief King, because that way, I avoid having to deal with Ryota Kajiki, aka Mako Tsunami. I'll write things my way. Deal with it.**

 **1\. This was based on a joke from** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series_** **, namely Episode 4, 'Lord of the Cards', where Joey compares Duellist Kingdom to** ** _Lord of the Flies_** **. Tristan promptly mistakes it for** ** _Lord of the Rings_** **, asking whether that is the film with the evil ring and the Hobbits. Téa berates him for thinking any of those things are on the island, though an image promptly shows Dark Bakura with the Millennium Ring, and a shot of Yugi with the caption 'Hobbit' pointing to him.**

 **2\. The Thief King's parting line was derived from a line Dukkha, a manifestation of the entity called the Mara, said to Tegan while she was trapped in a dark mental world in the** ** _Doctor Who_** **story** ** _Kinda_** **.**


	18. Chapter 17: The Doppelganger

**CHAPTER 17:**

 **THE DOPPELGANGER**

It was shortly afterwards that Yugi and the others came back, having apparently fought a battle with Ryota Kajiki, aka 'Mako Tsunami'. Yugi had won more Star Chips from that player, and had come back when they realised they needed to find Bakura. "What's wrong, Bakura?" Yugi asked. "Did you stay here?"

"I…needed to ask Harry for a favour, Yugi," the effeminate boy said morosely. "About the Thief King."

"We got more questions than answers," Harry said. "Anyway…"

He was interrupted when a familiar hulking figure in a suit, and with a prodigious point of hair, walked up. "Yugi Muto," the man said. "I've been looking for you. A certain someone has arrived on the island, and wants to duel you. Normally, this is somewhat irregular, but considering who it is, Industrial Illusions has decided to concede to his demands, and recruit him as an unofficial Player Killer. Come with me now, if you would."

"And who is this?" Mai asked. "This duellist who wants to play against Yugi?"

The man grinned rather maliciously. "Oh, he may want to duel you too, Miss Valentine. After all, Seto Kaiba doesn't want to have any other claimants to his throne as the King of Games…"

* * *

The man's name was Saruwatari, and they all decided to follow him, for now. They couldn't believe that Seto Kaiba had come out of hiding just to duel Yugi, at least while working willingly with Pegasus. Harry smelt a trap, as did they all, but Shadow decided to take it on regardless.

And there he was, waiting in the Battle Box Saruwatari led them to, smirking at them with malice. As Shadow made to enter, Harry put a hand on the reincarnated Pharaoh's shoulder. "Shadow," he whispered quietly. "I don't think that's Kaiba. Remember, even amongst my people, there are things like Polyjuice Potion that they can use to disguise themselves."

Shadow nodded. "Agreed. We'll soon know."

With that, Shadow entered the Battle Box, and sat down opposite his opponent. As the two exchanged pre-battle snark, Harry looked over at Saruwatari. He looked somewhat familiar for some reason, though goons in suits often looked similar. Then, he realised where he knew him from. He had been one of the security guards assigned to Kaiba. The only difference was that he didn't have that damned pointy quiff of hair before.

Anzu frowned at the impostor. "What's a Player Killer, anyway?" she asked.

Saruwatari smirked. "The term 'Player Killer' comes from online RPGs. But unlike those games, where it means a player who goes after other players than monsters, here, it means special Duellists hired by Industrial Illusions to thin the herd. There are only four finalists allowed, who require ten Star Chips apiece. But with forty Duellists on this island, with two Star Chips each…anomalies like your friend Katsuya Jounochi aside, that means eighty Star Chips are available, and so there are forty Star Chips in surplus. Player Killers exist to weed out the weaker players, and take their Star Chips for their own. And once you lose all your Star Chips, we send you off the island."

"Joy," Harry muttered. "So, who's the dingus who's playing Kaiba?"

"Pardon?"

"He's a fake. It wouldn't be that hard to steal or fake his deck if Pegasus has the Big 5 in his pocket. Hell, Pegasus could probably print off a few Blue Eyes White Dragon cards just to complete the illusion. But while I'm sure Kaiba wants to have a rematch against Yugi, it'd be on his terms, not Pegasus'. Knowing Kaiba, he'd be pissed at this…"

* * *

Seto Kaiba couldn't help it. He snorted. The video feed around the Battle Box had picked up Harry's snark. "I'm absolutely livid," he said with a vicious smirk, "but thanks for the sentiment, Potter."

Noah, who was on another screen, chuckled. " _Are we going to be a fly in their ointment?_ "

"We were going to be anyway," Seto said. He'd managed to come to an agreement, albeit reluctantly on both parties. Neither Noah nor Seto wanted Pegasus to take over Kaiba Corp. They would handle their dispute once Pegasus' hostile takeover was dealt with.

The green-haired Kaiba rubbed his chin contemplatively. " _I'm having a harder time than I would like hacking into Industrial Illusions' servers. The surveillance feeds are easy enough, but into the actual security system is another matter. Ditto their communications: the best I can do is hack the emails of the Big 5 and their lackeys. They've been planning this for a while, even before Pegasus came into the picture. They thought you'd be a puppet king for Kaiba Corp, but you proved to be too apt a CEO. I have to admit, I'm impressed at the way you dealt with Father._ "

"And I'm surprised you aren't more angry at his suicide," Seto said.

Noah's face fell. " _Father was nicer to me than he was to you…at least at first. But even before the accident, he got ever more ruthless with me. In fact, I wonder whether he really created this virtual world for me for my own benefit, or whether to test cyberneural technology and virtual worlds. And the last few times he visited…he berated me for being a disappointment. He claimed you would be a better successor to him than I. I'll be perfectly frank, I am glad you proved him right and overthrew him._ "

Seto, after a moment, remarked, "Then I doubt I will be nominating him for any parenting awards." It was the kindest thing he could say to his stepbrother.

It certainly got Noah to chuckle slightly. Then, he blinked. " _Huh. I've managed to hack into the systems, but surveillance aside, Yugi's duel data is conspicuous by its absence. That being said, I can discern some things about the duel by looking at the surveillance feed. The cards do match those found in your deck._ "

"I left it behind when I escaped," Seto muttered. "Those bastards must have stolen it. Does Yugi still have Exodia?"

" _I don't know, but even if he does, winning against any deck isn't guaranteed_ ," Noah said. " _Exodia is a trump card, not something you can base a strategy around. The Exodia cards are relatively weak monsters, after all._ "

"Then he's beaten," Kaiba said.

" _A good player can beat your deck, Seto_ ," Noah remarked acidly. " _It may require luck, even without Exodia, but luck is as great a part of_ Duel Monsters _as skill and the right deck is._ "

"Otherwise that moron Katsuya would not have gotten so far," Seto muttered, to which Noah chuckled in agreement. "Noah, I think we had better sabotage this farce. Yugi…no, Shadow may be able to beat him, and they're aware that this fool is an impostor…but I'm not going to let Pegasus have his way…"

" _Hmm…actually, Seto, I don't think you'd have to do that. It seems that history is repeating itself in a big way_ …"

* * *

" _Exodia: Hellstorm Inferno._ "

Shadow's cold voice rang out from the Battle Box, and Harry was gratified to see the look on the impostor's face as his monsters, including at least one Blue Eyes White Dragon, got annihilated, and his life points were completely wiped out. Shadow had quietly accumulated the Exodia cards, and assembled all five at just the right time, albeit sooner than he had during his duel with the real Kaiba. And that had paid off. The duel probably would have lasted longer if he hadn't had Exodia.

"What?!" Saruwatari yelped. "It happened again?!"

"Well, yeah," Harry remarked.

Shadow glared coldly at the impostor. " _Well, impostor…I must say, you have angered me by doing this. And I am not satisfied with merely defeating you. You stole Kaiba's cards, imitated him and made a mockery of him…well, you reap what you sow. PENALTY GAME: MIRROR MAZE!_ "

The impostor screamed, convulsed, and then collapsed to the floor of the Battle Box. Harry noticed Saruwatari about to flee, only to use a Body Bind to cause him to crash to the ground. "Oh no, you don't!" Harry snapped. He advanced on Saruwatari, and pulled out the Millennium Key. "I've got some questions for you that need answering…"

* * *

What Harry found in the man's mind only made him even more furious, and he stormed over to the Battle Box, rummaging in the false Kaiba's coat, before plucking out a flask, and sniffing the liquid. "As I thought. Polyjuice."

"Polyjuice?" Honda asked.

"It's a potion that allows you to disguise yourself as another person for up to an hour, longer if you take regular doses. You just need a supply of something from the person, like hair. They must've gotten some from somewhere. That's not Kaiba, that's Theodore Nott. What did you do to him, Shadow?"

"Given that he took on someone else's identity, I thought it fitting to trap him in an endless mirror maze, and he has to find his true self to leave(1). He'll find his way out, in time," the reincarnated Pharaoh said grimly. "You know him?"

"Not much. He was a Slytherin, and his father was a Death Eater. I think he was also buddy-buddy with Malfoy. And if Malfoy's allied with Pegasus…anyway, I got some interesting info from Saruwatari's mind. There's a few more Player Killers to worry about. We have the Meikyu brothers, and Panik, the Player Killer of Darkness. Pegasus is also hoping to eliminate as many contestants as possible to avoid paying out the prize money, and he's put a bounty out on Yugi. Finally, Pegasus is aware that Bandit Keith is on the island."

"Bandit Keith?" Joey asked.

"Keith Howard, formerly one of the top _Duel Monsters_ players of America. Pegasus humiliated him in a duel not long ago on live television," Mai said. "Rumour has it that he's seeking revenge. Another complication added to this scenario."

"This one was a competent player," Shadow said, looking at Nott masquerading as Kaiba, "but he was changed into Kaiba for a cheap attempt at psychological warfare more than anything. I'll take Kaiba's deck with me for safe-keeping, until we meet him again. If you're listening, Kaiba, I swear to keep your deck safe."

"What do we do with them?" Anzu asked.

Harry looked over at the distant castle thoughtfully, before taking a couple of broken branches and casting spells on them, and hurling the branches at the two adversaries, causing them to disappear. "Portkeys," he explained. "Plus, I may or may not have used my time in Saruwatari's head to implant a compulsion. Nothing major, but every time he hears certain words in Japanese or English, like 'rabbit', 'capture', or 'expel', he'll get the runs. It'll only last for a few days, long enough to prevent him from being a threat to us during this tournament. Considering what he was party to, I'm being nice."

"Nice?! That sounds vindictive!" Anzu protested.

"My father and godfather were unrepentant pranksters," Harry said with a shrug. "And that prick Saruwatari would have helped kidnap Mokuba if I hadn't taken action first. Oh, and there's one other thing. Saruwatari has given me the reason why Pegasus is so obsessed with taking over Kaiba Corp."

"And why's that?" Mai asked.

"The hologram tech, the prototypes Kaiba and Dan were working on that have higher resolution. Remember the Duel Disk? That has even better holograms than even the Battle Box. He's hoping to combine that with the Millennium Eye to bring back Cyndia, even if it's only as a holographic ghost. He's even hoping other Millennium Items may help," Harry said grimly. "Apparently he heard about that from Malfoy, who relayed it from Marik. And he's got his own agenda."

"All this trouble to bring his dead wife back to life?" Joey asked. "Yeesh, aren't there less convoluted ways to do that? Like, I dunno, send in some spies to steal the technology?"

"I think we've all established by now that Pegasus is not quite right in the head," Mai said with dry understatement, and probably amazed, like Harry, that Joey even knew the word 'convoluted'. "This farce probably appeals to his sense of theatre."

"It doesn't appeal to mine," Shadow said grimly.

* * *

" _Well, all's well that ends well_ ," Noah remarked sardonically. " _So, what next, my dear brother?_ "

Seto ignored the sarcastic term of endearment. Instead, he said, "I'm going to say goodbye to my brother. Then, I'm going to need transport to the Duellist Kingdom."

" _Well, the helicopter on the grounds is still present. Of course, you'll have to sneak your way to it and ensure they're far enough away for you to get it ready for take-off. Thankfully, I can create a distraction. Hacking their radio and faking a sighting of you will be easier than hacking the computer systems at Industrial Illusions. So, ready to play a real life game of_ Metal Gear Solid, _Seto?_ "

Seto just gave a vicious grin as he picked up the briefcase containing the Duel Disk system. In a way, this sort of game, where the stakes were your life and everything you owned and cherished, was better than some of the games he usually played. "I'm ready. Let's go…"

 **CHAPTER 17 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it. The Kaiba impostor is different to the manga and anime versions, and Seto and Noah have entered a reluctant alliance. Oh, and Yugi used Exodia to own the impostor. I knew that'd be a consequence of Harry preventing Haga from throwing the cards overboard, but it was only here that I decided to use it.**

 **1\. I based this Penalty Game on the fates of the Weatherwax sisters in the Discworld novel** ** _Witches Abroad_** **. Lilith, the supposedly good one who is a fairy godmother, albeit one who makes the one from** ** _Shrek 2_** **look tame by comparison, ends up trapped in the mirror maze forever. Granny Weatherwax is able to escape not by looking for the right reflection, but by choosing her own body rather than a reflection of it.**


End file.
